Precise estimation of moisture, crude protein and crude fat content of beef cuts by image analysis

Information about nutritional contents of beef would prevent consumers from taking fat in excess and getting fat-related diseases. A new technique using image analysis was developed to precisely determine the three component weights (moisture, crude protein and crude fat) in a beef cut of rib, which from the carcass, is classified between No. 2 and a No. 5 grade by the Japanese beef carcass grading standard. The areas of lean and fat were calculated from the digital image, then the weights of lean and fat portions were estimated from these areas, and the whole weights of the sample and specific gravities of lean and fat tissue were found. The estimated lean weight was highly correlated with both weights of crude protein ( R**2 =0.94. P