Computer Vision and Stereoscopy for Estimating Firmness in the Salmon (Salmon salar) Fillets

The computer vision and a stereoscopy technique were used to characterize and detect changes in the capacity of the salmon fillet surface to recover its original form after a constant weight was applied. A curvature index (associated to fillet firmness) calculated by means of 3D information data obtained with the stereoscopy technique from the fat stripe on the fillets was estimated over 6 months and was suggested as a characteristic of the recovery property of the fresh salmon fillet surface. Simultaneously, instrumental firmness using a LFRA1500 texture was measured. The values for the fresh salmon fillet measurement curvature index during a period of 6 months were established in the range of 0.05 and 0.10 (dimensionless), and this value was used in the experiments to represent fresh salmon fillets. Changes in the curvature index (associated with similar changes in firmness) for salmon fillet surface treated with enzymes (pepsin and papain) were registered on the second day during storage at 2 °C. In general, stereoscopy is a technique that can be used on salmon fillets to detect changes in the recovery properties of the salmon fillet surface and to determine when salmon fillets can be classified as a fillet that has not been processed with enzymes.