DATAPORC: building a grading system for pork meat quality

The Dataporc project is a large validation experiment performed in slaughterhouses and focusing on the prediction of the water holding capacity of pork meat. It has been supported by pig producers (UGPVB), slaughterhouses and Uniporc carcass grading company. The aim of the project is to identify a technology/device that suit both accuracy and traceability requirements for giving a meat quality feedback to producers using Uniporc carcass grading system. Many feasibility studies have been conducted at IFIP in the last ten years for the prediction of water holding capacity with vision, visible and near infrared spectroscopy (VisNIRS), and hyperspectral imaging. With this validation project we are setting up the first cornerstone of the meat quality improvement initiative in the French pork meat industry. The accuracy and the robustness of the prediction of the ultimate pH and drip loss, two of the major meat quality parameters, were evaluated using 7 devices designed for industrial purpose and involving 3 technologies.