Meat products components using histological method and image analysis software

As yet no method has been proposed to determine the percentage of different components in meat products. The aim of this study was to identify the percentage of skeletal muscle and plant additives using histological method and image analysis in heated and unheated meat products. For this purpose, with the cooperation of Goshtiran company, 100 samples, with well-defined percentages of skeletal muscle and other components used in the production of these products, were prepared and provided to the laboratory. After delivery in the laboratory, the products were coded and according to the executive method of Iranian National Standard No. 6103a, samples were randomly removed from each product and were fixed in 10% formalin buffer solution. Then, the samples entered the routine stages and stained using H&E staining methods. Images were analyzed using Image Pro-Plus software. Finally, the results were compared with the documents sent from the production unit. Statistical analysis of the results obtained in the present study did not show a significant difference with the reported amount of production unit in relation to the percentage of meat used in all 5 types of sausages, hamburger, kebab and chicken nuggets (p >0.05). However, statistical analysis of the results obtained with the reported amount of production unit in relation to the percentage of plant additives used was not statistically significant only in the sausage product. It can be concluded that histology and image analysis can be used to determine the percentage of skeletal muscle in meat products.