A Novel Electromagnetic Response Measurement System for Continuous Monitoring of Meat Aging

The aging of dry meat enhances its flavor and tenderness; however, continuous internal quality monitoring throughout the aging process is challenging. We developed and validated a novel electromagnetic response measurement system for meat aging that enables continuous bioimpedance monitoring under stable, optimal temperature/humidity conditions. The system comprises a temperature-controlled dry aging fridge and a newly designed puncture-type semi-rigid coaxial probe, allowing for minimally invasive internal measurements over a broad frequency range. The probe achieved stable measurements across 10 kHz to 10 MHz, and its small diameter (1.25 mm) enabled almost non-destructive internal sensing. Beef and pork samples were monitored over 14 days via multi-channel bioimpedance measurements. After an initial stabilization period, bioimpedance steadily decreased throughout aging. This decline reflected progressive increases in tissue conductivity as cell membranes broke down and intracellular fluids leaked out. High-frequency measurements (e.g., around 10 MHz) were more sensitive to environmental disturbances. Periodic defrost cycles in the chamber caused temporary impedance dips at these frequencies, highlighting the influence of short-term temperature/humidity fluctuations. The system enables long-term continuous measurement without removing samples from the fridge, thus maintaining aging conditions during monitoring. Overall, the system enables the stable, long-term, and multi-channel electromagnetic monitoring of meat quality under optimal aging conditions-a capability not achieved in previous studies. This new method offers a minimally invasive, frequency-resolved approach for assessing meat quality evolution during aging. This advance demonstrates a new approach for tracking meat quality changes during dry aging.