Assessing the Value of a Portable Near Infrared Spectroscopy Sensor for Predicting Pork Meat Quality Traits of “Asturcelta Autochthonous Swine Breed”

Sixty-one intact meat samples from Asturcelta autochthonous swine breed were scanned in the slaughterhouse in reflectance mode. A handheld microelectromechanical system digital transform (Phazir1624, Polychromix Inc.), with a window sampling area of 0.8 × 1 cm and wavelengths ranging from 1,600 to 2,400 nm, was used. With the spectra database recorded were developed different chemometrical models assaying first and second derivatives as math treatment and standard normal variate (SNV) and multiplicative scatter correction for minimizing scattering effect. The greatest predictive capacity was achieved after applying SNV and first derivative for moisture, intramuscular fat (IMF) content, and pH parameters and second derivative for CIE L*, a*, b* colorimetric values, and the Warner–Bratzler force (instrumental texture). The coefficients of determination for calibration ranged from 0.63 to 0.89. The ratio between the standard error of the laboratory and the standard error of calibration ranged from 0.8 to 2.5 for all parameters (1.7 on average) with the exception of b and pH with ratios of 3.5 and 4.1, respectively. The statistical values obtained for the models developed to estimate IMF, CIE L*, a*, b*, moisture, and pH, displayed acceptable predictive capacity. For instrumental texture, the model could be able to discriminate among tender, medium, and hard meat in carcasses for characterization slaughter purposes.