Rapid determination of spinal cord content in ground beef by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

The potential of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to measure spinal cord in ground beef was investigated. Mid-infrared spectra were obtained for ground beef adulterated with 0 to 100 ppm spinal cord. Partial least squares models were developed using 400 to 4000 cm(-1). The model in the 400 to 4000 cm(-1) range showed a calibration of R-cal = 0.94 (RMSE = 11.24) and validation of R-val = 0.87 (RMSE =17.22). The P-O-C and N-H stretches were found to correlate positively with spinal cord content. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy has the potential to rapidly determine spinal cord adulteration in ground beef.