Quantification of fat percentage in some types of meat using low-angle X-ray scattering (LAXS) and Monte Carlo simulation

Abstract

The current research used a method for the quantification of fat content in many types of meat by comparing their X-ray scattering profiles measured practically and simulated profiles from a Monte Carlo simulation code. The measured X-ray scattering profile of each meat sample was compared to Monte Carlo simulated profiles to deduce the fat percentage in each sample. Two peaks were obtained from each profile. The first peak was at a momentum transfer of 1.1 nm−1 (characteristic of fat content) and the second peak was at a momentum transfer of 1.6 nm−1 (characteristic of muscle content). The correlation coefficient and least square error between measured and simulated data were calculated to obtain the percentage of fat in each sample from the best-fitted profiles. Results showed a high correlation coefficient value and low least square error of value (>0.9) and (<0.07), respectively between measured and simulated profiles. The fat content in each sample is plotted against three profile characterization parameters (the ratio of peak intensities, the ratio of area under peaks and the ratio of area under fat peak to total profile area) for measured and Monte Carlo simulated X-ray scattering profiles. Therefore, it was possible to use this Monte Carlo simulation code as a way for precis quantification of fat percentages in some types of meat.