Neutron Imaging of Meat during Cooking

Abstract

International audienceNeutron imaging was used to follow the impact of cooking on beef meat. During online cooking, the cartography realised on image collected shows neutron attenuation per zone. Some data points were taken on the edge to highlight higher attenuation variations because of "microscopic" shrinkage of the meat at 70 degrees C. Some others points were taken in the centre of the sample, which first showed smaller decreases at 75 degrees C and then an increase around 80 degrees C. These smaller attenuation variations are possibly linked to denaturation of connective tissue which in turn influenced meat microstructure allowing the release of entrapped water and increase the thickness of the sample

Neutron imaging and tomography: Applications in food science

“…In fact, most of the biochemical reactions which are responsive of these changes are linked to the proteins which constitute meat: myosin, heamprotein and collagen. The changes in the meat microstructure and the concomitant juice release have been recently observed by neutron imaging [29]. The analysis of the attenuation cartography (as presented in Figure 11) realized on images collected during cooking in a semi-professional oven (placed in front of the neutron detector) highlights the fact that the main microscopic shrinkage of the meat happens after 70°C (after myosin and collagen denaturation).…”

Latest advances in imaging techniques for characterizing soft, multiphasic food materials

“…Further work has been published on the effect of cooking on the microstructure of meat samples (Scussat et al, 2016) (Scussat et al, 2017). The authors quantified both the water migration and protein fibre contraction through image analysis of the 3D tomogram.…”