MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF MEAT-PRODUCTS - AUTOMATED QUANTITATION OF THE NMR RELAXATION PARAMETERS OF CURED PORK BY BOTH BULK NMR AND MRI METHODS

An integrated protocol has been developed for the automated acquisitio n and processing of a set of magnetic resonance images which quantify the spatial distribution of the T-1 and T-2 values, proton density (M( 0)) and magnetisation transfer (MT)-rate. That protocol has been valid ated for homogeneous samples against 'bulk' NMR measurements using the same experimental conditions, both at 2.35 and 7 Tesla. Application o f that technology to pork cured in a brine solution shows that brining affected the T-2 values and the apparent MT rates more significantly than either the T-1 values, the M(0) values or the M(sat)/M(0) ratios. The dependence of the NMR relaxation times on meat swelling induced b y sodium chloride is also discussed.