| 摘要 |
In a method of determining the thickness of a layer of fat on one side of a joint of meat, the joint of meat is positioned on an electrically conductive surface with the layer of fat uppermost, and an electrically conductive needle is lowered into and through the fat layer until it penetrates into the lean meat therebelow. The needle, the joint and the electrically conductive surface form part of an electrical circuit, the electrical resistance of which drops significantly as the end of the needle passes from the fat layer into the lean meat since the latter has a much lower resistivity than the fat layer. Thus, by noting the position of the probe when it first contacts the joint (thus creating an electrical circuit) and the position of the probe when the significant drop in resistance occurs, the thickness of the layer of fat can be determined. A matrix of such probes may be provided so that the thickness of the fat layer at different parts of the joint can be determined in one invasive operation. |
