Evaluation and stability of the colour in burriquete (Pogonias cromis) fillets using a computer vision system

Abstract The colour of the meat surface is the first feeling that the consumer perceives and uses as a tool to accept or reject the food. The measurement and evaluation of meat colour can be measured by a chemical indicator (metmyoglobin) or by a physical assessment using colour spaces (a* and R). The objective of this study was to evaluate the colour and colour stability in burriquete (Pogonias cromis) fillets using the red parameters (a* value and R) and chemical analysis (% of metmyoglobin). The colour and colour stability of burriquete fillets stored at 5 ± 1 °C with 90% of relative humidity for 57.6 h was evaluated using a computer vision system. The red parameters (a* value and R) varied inversely with the metmyoglobin concentration. The kinetics were plotted using the kinetic model. The reaction orders for the a* value, R and metmyoglobin were 2.0309, 1.2101 and 1.8324, respectively and the reaction constants were -0.000046 for the a* value, -0.0013 for R and 0.0002 for metmyoglobin. The computer vision system was shown to be a powerful tool for assessing the colour and colour stability in fish meat but could also be used in other types of food product.