Dielectric studies of added water in poultry meat and scallops

Using a Hewlett-Packard dielectric spectrometer and 3.5mm coaxial probe, the dielectric spectra of chicken and scallop samples have been obtained in the frequency range 200 MHz to 12 GHz. The samples were subjected to different treatments involving soaking in water and polyphosphate solutions. Using principal component analysis (PCA), it was possible to distinguish between the controls and the various treatments. The spectra themselves show marked differences. Principal component regression (PCR) was also used to attempt calibrations for added water nitrogen and ash contents in poultry meat and scallops; however; this appears not to be significantly better than using the permittivity values at a frequency close to 2 GHz. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Limited.