A six-plant USDA study compared cloth samples taken as beef trim passed a conveyor with established sampling methods.
Samples taken during bin filling
A USDA Agricultural Research Service study published in 2021 tested continuous cloth sampling for beef trim at six commercial processing plants. A cassette holds the cloth where pieces of trim pass from a conveyor into a collection bin. The cloth contacts product throughout filling and is then sent for laboratory analysis.
Comparison with established methods
The researchers analyzed 1,650 matched samples from 540 bins. They compared continuous and manual cloth sampling with established N60 methods, using conveyor, chute and batch-diversion arrangements. In one tested configuration, a 61 cm cassette on a 30 cm conveyor gave comparable results. The equipment collects a testing sample; it does not treat the meat.