WELCOME to the regular series of articles focusing on red meat R&D, presented by Beef Central and the Australian Meat Processor Corporation. These items highlight a range of projects designed to enhance the efficiency, productivity, product quality and safety of Australian red meat sold into the domestic market and around the world.

All have the ability to help underpin Australia’s unrivalled reputation as the world’s premier export of quality beef, lamb and offal. Links to previous articles in the series appear below.

 

 

 

AN artificial intelligence technology solution is being trialled at the Casino Food Co-op beef plant in northern NSW to track beef primal cuts by carcase ID – and initial results are positive.

Currently, once a carcase is broken down beyond quarters there are limited practical solutions to track and trace the smaller cuts through the processing plant. The research partnership between the Australian Meat Processor Corporation, Casino Food Co-op and technology provider FloVision aims to provide a solution.

AMPC program manager Ann McDonald said traceability after carcase breakdown was a key industry need.

“If a reliable solution can be validated that can trace primal cuts back to their carcase, without substantial infrastructure and procedure change, this could unlock huge value in yield, genetics, quality control, and recall efficiency for red meat processors,” she said.

“Having knowledge of which final products came from which carcases can also help stakeholders along the supply chain to better understand what carcase traits lead to better final products, in terms of adherence to specification, presentation, and colour.”

The new tech solution developed by US-based company FloVision Solutions involves setting up cameras where carcases come into the boning room. At this stage, video and AI capture the carcase ID.

Another set of cameras capture vision once the carcase is boned into primals. Then the solution uses AI to look for matching characteristics to trace the primals back to the original carcase.

As part of the research, the FloVision team visited Casino Food Co-Op to collect the data required to match characteristics.

Product integrity

Casino Food Co-op innovation coordinator Kalani Moss said the technology, if successful, had potential to assist with product integrity and added a whole new level of identification to the ‘Paddock to Plate’ concept.

“We look forward to seeing the next stages of the project,” she said.

AMPC’s Ann McDonald said having this data available would also allow processors to better manage their supply, and to be able to provide feedback to their suppliers regarding a consignment’s alignment with customer specifications.

“This technology has the potential to provide our processors with a significant benefit,” she said.

“It will also support processors in the unlikely event that there may be product recalls. The ability to link primals to carcase IDs would allow more focused recall procedures, reducing the impact of the recall and the costs associated.”

Striploin primal cuts are being used in the current trials. Next steps will involve looking at a larger range of primals and machine learning to pick up more characteristics.

The ultimate end target would be matching secondary cuts back to primals, then to carcases, and matching label descriptions with what is put in the carton.

All this information would be stored in a database and eventually processors could be able to trace all cuts back to a carcase and then an individual animal.

 

Source: AMPC

 

About the Australian Meat Processor Corporation

AMPC is the research and development corporation for the red meat processing industry in Australia. As the research, development and marketing service provider for processors, AMPC runs programs of activity that are funded by processor levy payers, private contributions and the Australian Government. AMPC’s mission is to drive world-class innovation, adoption and strategic policy development through genuine partnerships built on trust.

 

 Previous articles in this series:

• Extracting kokumi – the new umami – from red meat
• Shadow robots reality a step closer + VIDEO
• One of Australia’s first AI-driven automated beef scribing systems installed
• AMPC’s inaugural Innovation Showcase program
• The trends that will drive innovation
• Australian first in hot boning technology
• What’s in the box? Technology driving label verification
• Red meat R&D: AMPC Academy of Meat Engineers designs own sausages
• ‘Spot the dog’ shows benefits of automated guided vehicle technology + VIDEO
• 3D printing trial begins at red meat processing plants
• Technology trial for small stock electronic ID
• Progress in shadow robotics
• Eating quality tool a step closer to commercial reality
• Advancing red meat sustainability
• 5G trial for Aussie red meat processing plants
• New product academy to see processors get the most out of each carcase
• Shadow robot technology mimics human actions
• Frenched lamb – no knives, no water 
• Could a futuristic exo-skeleton create new opportunity in the meat sector?
• Red Meat R&D: Upping our game in processing efficiency
• Magnetic conveying could leverage high-speed train technology for beef