Microwave sensing for an objective evaluation of meat ageing

Monitoring changes in muscle structure during ageing of bovine meat is a major industrial challenge. During ageing, bovine muscle becomes tender through muscle fibre de-structuring, and full control of this process is essential. To improve competitiveness, and to meet consumer quality demand, muscle structure needs to be evaluated in-line. We present here a broadband microwave study (0.3–24 GHz) involving contact reflection coefficient measurements using coaxial and rectangular probes. This study is based on the measurement of dielectric properties of tissues with direction of polarisation parallel and perpendicular to muscle fibre directions, as muscles have anisotropic dielectric properties. Findings show the feasibility of a simple microwave sensor.