Multivariate optimization of hyperspectral imaging for adulteration detection of ground beef: Towards the development of generic algorithms to predict adulterated ground beef and for digital sorting

Due to its nutritional value, and taste, minced beef meat (MBM) is highly valuable therefore is susceptible to economically motivated adulteration. High-throughput adulteration detection methods are required to guarantee the authenticity and safety of the MBM. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) in the 400–1000 nm spectral range, in tandem with multivariate analysis, was evaluated to demonstrate the feasibility of developing generic models to detect minced beef meat adulterated with other types of meats. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) method, the ensemble Monte Carlo variable selection method (EMCVS), a range of spectral pre-treatments, and combinations of any two of them were evaluated to predict the amount of MBM in each prepared sample scanned. The beef prediction model was developed using data from MBM adulterated with minced chicken and turkey meats and validated with data from MBM adulterated with pork meat at adulteration levels ranging from 0 to 51% at approximately 3% increments. Good prediction results were obtained using the EMCVS, on the asymmetric least squares (AsLs) + Standard Normal variate (SNV) pre-treated reflectance spectra (Rp² 0.96, RMSEP 2.9% and RPD 5.4) with 23 selected wavelengths. An independent set of MBM samples adulterated with lamb and duck meat were then prepared similarly at concentrations ranging from 3 to 21% to test the developed method. Good results were obtained in the full range (R²p 0.94, RMSEp 3.92%, RPDp 3.83) and excellent prediction results (R²p 0.95, RMSEp 2.78%, RPDp 5.29) were obtained with 9 optimum wavelengths (484, 508, 593, 596, 602, 736, 739, 924 and 960 nm). PLS discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), the EMCVS and spectral pre-treatments were used to discriminate MBM from other adulterants and achieved almost perfect classification for calibration, cross-validation, and prediction using 12 selected spectral bands. This study developed a high-throughput generic minced meat adulteration prediction and discrimination method based on selected spectral bands that can be used to further develop low-cost portable sensors for the digital sorting of adulterated MBM, and demonstrates the feasibility to develop generic models to detect minced beef meat adulterated with other types of meat.