@misc{13721,
  abstract     = {{In this study, we examined the possibility of detecting different types of materials that contaminate carcasses during industrial pig slaughter using video image analysis and artificial intelligence (AI). A camera system was installed between evisceration and postmortem meat inspection on an industrial pig slaughter line with a capacity of 12,000 pigs per day. The pigs were photographed using five 2D cameras, and the images were analysed for contamination using an AI-based algorithm. The setup, which was developed and installed by CLK GmbH, performed under industrial conditions. In order to train the system, specifications were created for the most frequently occurring types of contamination, namely, intestinal contents, bile, stomach contents, and tubular rail fat. Afterward, the system was trained using annotated images. In principle, the system was able to recognize all types of contamination on the camera images; even pinhead-sized contaminations were visible. The agreement between the algorithm and the results of an expert assessor who assessed the images online agreed in 60% of the judgements. The agreement between experts using onsite assessment and those using online assessment by images was 73%. Thus, the kappa measure of agreement was κ = 0.1215 (p = 0.0199). Significantly higher recognition rates appear to be possible by adjusting the algorithm and increasing the number of training images. Thus, the system is a useful tool to preselect contaminated carcasses and to support postmortem inspection.}},
  author       = {{Tholen, Janna and Kirse, Alina and Voß, Alexander and Schulze Althoff, Gereon and Strotkötter, Lea and Kreienbrock, Lothar and Upmann, Matthias}},
  booktitle    = {{Frontiers in Food Science and Technology}},
  issn         = {{2674-1121}},
  keywords     = {{artificial intelligence (AI), bile contamination, contamination detection, faecal contamination, slaughter hygiene, tubular rail fat}},
  publisher    = {{Frontiers Media SA}},
  title        = {{{Detection of carcass contamination using video image analysis during industrial pig slaughter}}},
  doi          = {{10.3389/frfst.2026.1698416}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}

@misc{13327,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this study was to investigate if vibroacoustic methods may be used for the non-destructive determination of beef during its aging process. The vibroacoustic method was based on the observation of mechanical changes in the meat during the aging process and was compared with reference data obtained by Warner-Bratzler shear force measurement as well as sensory testing of the tenderness using a ten-part scale. To evaluate the mechanical properties, transfer functions were used representing the time dependency of the signal and thus the viscoelastic behaviour. In this study, a total of 31 roastbeef samples from 16 different young bulls and two older cows were examined from day of slaughter to day 21 of cold storage with regard to their tenderness. For this purpose, vibroacoustic measurements were carried out on the unprocessed/raw meat at intervals of 1–3 days. The reference measurements using sensor technology and Warner-Bratzler shear force measurement were carried out on the first (day of slaughter) and last (21st day) day on slices of roast beef cooked with saturated steam. In the results of all three methods, the shear force measurement, the sensory test and the vibroacoustic method, showed that roastbeef from the same animal but different halves produced different results. Basically, it is possible to predict the tenderness of roastbeef by taking measurements at the beginning of the maturing process for the end of the maturing period using vibroacoustic methods: Data analysis led to a trend function that roughly reflects the actual tenderness, which is generally higher than the real tenderness represented by the shear-force measurement. In order to obtain a better resolution for recording the mechanical changes during the aging process, the measurements should be carried out at shorter intervals.}},
  author       = {{Tholen, Janna and Gohe, Jan and Dörksen, Helene and Kiesel, Theo and Upmann, Matthias}},
  booktitle    = {{Food Physics}},
  issn         = {{2950-0699}},
  keywords     = {{Warner-Bratzler shear force, Vibroacoustic methods, Non-destructively measurement, Viscoelastic meat}},
  number       = {{9}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier BV}},
  title        = {{{Tenderness prediction for beef using novel data analysis methods based on system dynamic and acoustic signals}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.foodp.2024.100017}},
  volume       = {{1}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}

@misc{13723,
  abstract     = {{The introduction of error feedback systems can lead to a reduction in the occurrence of errors. Therefore, it was investigated whether the proportion of contaminated carcasses can be reduced by installing a feedback system (preInspector) indicating an accumulation of contamination on a pig slaughter line. The technical equipment for the workplace of a „preInspector“ was installed on the slaughter line between the evisceration and official meat inspection. The person working there operated various hand buttons („buzzers“) depending on the type of carcass defects that occurred. In this case, contamination with tubular rail fat and faecal contamination, on the belly and/or on the back, were registered. Other defects were related to the plucks (tongue, trachea, oesophagus, lungs, heart, diaphragm, liver), intestinal package, hair and claw removal. After inspecting the carcass halves and activating the buzzer, the signals were collected. The detection was automatically assigned to the corresponding pig.
The average slaughter rate was 1200 pigs per hour. As soon as the number of contaminations rose above a threshold of 50 contaminations per 60-minute time interval, a light signal was triggered at the corresponding workstations on the slaughter line. On average, 981 positive buzzer activities related to contaminations per day were detected, with large fluctuations of the frequency between 323 and 1,752. An influence on the frequency of contamination occurrence through the feedback to the corresponding workstations was not observed.}},
  author       = {{Tholen, Janna and Upmann, Matthias}},
  booktitle    = {{Journal of food safety and food quality : JFSFQ : Archiv für Lebensmittelhygiene}},
  issn         = {{0003-925X}},
  keywords     = {{Contamination, industrial pig slaughter, faecal contamination, hygiene feedback system}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{156--160}},
  publisher    = {{Schaper}},
  title        = {{{Influence of a hygiene feedback system during pig slaughter on the frequency of carcass contamination}}},
  doi          = {{10.53194/0003-925X-75-156}},
  volume       = {{75}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}

@misc{10996,
  author       = {{Tholen, Janna and Zimmermann, Moritz and Schulze Althoff, Gereon and Upmann, Matthias}},
  location     = {{Berlin}},
  title        = {{{Dekontamination von Schweineschlachtkörpern mittels Vakuum-Dampf-Behandlung}}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}

@misc{10997,
  author       = {{Tholen, Janna and Schulze Althoff, Gereon and Upmann, Matthias}},
  location     = {{Leipzig}},
  title        = {{{Künstliche Intelligenz in der Fleischhygiene - Entwicklung eines Detektionssystems für Kontaminationen mit Kamerasystemen}}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}

@misc{11909,
  author       = {{Tholen, Janna and Bruns, Michael and Upmann, Matthias}},
  booktitle    = {{Rundschau für Fleischhygiene und Lebensmittelüberwachung (RFL)}},
  issn         = {{0178-2010 }},
  number       = {{9}},
  pages        = {{302--304}},
  publisher    = {{M.& H. Schaper GmbH}},
  title        = {{{Einfluss der Automatisierung des Enddarmbohrers auf den dorsalen Kontaminationsanteil bei der Schweineschlachtung}}},
  volume       = {{76}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}

@misc{11912,
  author       = {{Tholen, Janna and Upmann, Matthias}},
  booktitle    = {{Journal of Food Safety and Food Quality}},
  issn         = {{0003-925X}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{156--160}},
  publisher    = {{M. & H. Schaper}},
  title        = {{{Einfluss eines Hygiene-Rückmeldesystems während der Schweineschlachtung auf die Häufigkeit auftretender Schlachtkörperverunreinigungen}}},
  doi          = {{10.53194/0003-925X-75-156}},
  volume       = {{75}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}

@misc{12784,
  abstract     = {{During pig slaughter, contaminants such as intestinal and stomach contents, bile, tubular rail fat, and reddish foam from the respiratory tract frequently appear on carcasses, potentially compromising meat safety. This study examined the impact of these contaminants on the bacterial loads of pig carcasses, using total bacterial counts and Enterobacteriaceae counts as hygiene indicators. Examination of the substances as such showed that intestinal and stomach contents were particularly conspicuous to undermine the carcase hygiene due to total bacterial counts of similar to 6.0 log10 CFU g-1 (intestinal content) and 5.5 log10 CFU g-1 (stomach content). Tubular rail fat showed varying contamination levels, from low (3.1 log10 CFU g-1) to high (6.4 log10 CFU g-1). The reddish foam had moderate contamination (4.3 log10 CFU g-1). Enterobacteriaceae levels mirrored these results at a lower level. Subsequently, a comparative study analysing bacterial levels in contaminated and in noncontaminated pork rind regions was performed. Even small amounts of intestinal and stomach contents led to significant increases in total bacterial counts of up to 3 log10 CFU cm-(2) and in Enterobacteriaceae counts (up to 5 log10 CFU cm-(2)). Other contaminants did not significantly raise bacterial levels: their total viable counts around 3.5 log10 CFU cm-(2) were similar to those of uncontaminated carcass areas. Nevertheless, they should be removed before further processing.}},
  author       = {{Tholen, Janna and Upmann, Matthias}},
  booktitle    = {{Letters in Applied Microbiology}},
  issn         = {{1472-765X}},
  keywords     = {{bile, stomach content, intestinal content, tubular rail fat, carcass contamination, slaughter hygiene}},
  number       = {{12}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  title        = {{{Contribution of the main contaminating materials during pig slaughter to the microbial numbers on carcasses }}},
  doi          = {{https://doi.org/10.1093/lambio/ovae125}},
  volume       = {{77}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}

@misc{10995,
  author       = {{Tholen, Janna and Mohr, Jessica and Bruns, Michael and Schulze Althoff, Gereon and Upmann, Matthias}},
  location     = {{Berlin}},
  title        = {{{Auswirkung verschiedener Kontaminationsarten auf den Oberflächenkeimgehalt von Schweineschlachtkörpern}}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}

@misc{10998,
  author       = {{Tholen, Janna and Upmann, Matthias}},
  location     = {{Lemgo}},
  title        = {{{Erfassung von Schlachtkörperkontaminationen mittels Videobildanalyse}}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}

@misc{10554,
  author       = {{Tholen, Janna and Schulze Althoff, Gereon and Voss, A. and Upmann, Matthias}},
  booktitle    = {{63. Arbeitstagung des Arbeitsgebietes Lebensmittelsicherheit und Verbraucherschutz 2023}},
  location     = {{Garmisch-Partenkirchen}},
  publisher    = {{Verlag der DVG Service GmbH, Gießen}},
  title        = {{{Automatische Kontaminationserkennung auf Schweineschlachtkörpern mittels Kamerasystem}}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}

@misc{13012,
  abstract     = {{The aim of the study is to provide an up-to date overall evaluation of visual contamination occurring on the slaughter line in order to provide a basis for implementing contamination control measures and to the hygienic quality of the processes. For this purpose, 627 contaminated pig carcasses in an industrial slaughterhouse in north western Germany were examined in 2021 for its distribution of type, areal extent and localization of slaughter contamination. Prior to official meat inspection, two persons visually scanned dorsal and ventral surfaces of the eviscerated but not yet split pig carcasses from cranial to caudal and recorded types, areal extent and localization of the contamination. The main contamination type were intestinal contents, bile, stomach contents, tubular rail fat and “others”, which mostly consisted of a reddish foam from the respiratory tract. 103 out of 627 contaminated animals showed more than one contamination, which leads to a total number of 754 contaminations detected. Intestinal contents accounted for almost half of all contaminations and “others” for 30%. Forelimb, back and ham together counted for 70% of the contaminated regions. The affected area was smaller than that of a one euro coin (diameter about 23 mm) in 86% of the cases.}},
  author       = {{Tholen, Janna and Grosse-Kleimann, J. and Schulze Althoff, G. and Kreienbrock, L. and Upmann, Matthias}},
  booktitle    = {{Meat Science}},
  issn         = {{1873-4138}},
  keywords     = {{Abattoir, Slaughter hygiene, Evisceration, Pork production, Pig carcass contamination, Fecal contamination, Bile contamination, Meat inspection}},
  number       = {{2}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier BV}},
  title        = {{{Type, areal extent and localization of carcass contaminations during industrial pig slaughter}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109365}},
  volume       = {{208}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}

@misc{8443,
  author       = {{Upmann, Matthias and Tholen, Janna and Schulze Althoff, Gereon}},
  location     = {{Leipzig}},
  title        = {{{Salmonellen - Risikominimierung in der Schlachtstrecke durch visuelle Kontrollsysteme und künstliche Intelligenz}}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}

@misc{9421,
  author       = {{Tholen, Janna and Mohr, Jessica and Bruns, Michael and Schulze Althoff, Gereon and Upmann, Matthias}},
  location     = {{Garmisch-Partenkirchen}},
  title        = {{{Kontaminationen während des Schlachtprozesses auf Schweineschlachtkörpern}}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}