Small, hard-to-find particles.

Small, hard-to-find particles, perhaps hidden in shadowed areas on poultry carcasses at the processing plant, may now be easier to detect. A new advanced imaging system uses hyperspectral imaging to scan poultry carcass surfaces to find such contaminants. The inventors of the system operated it at a test speed of 140 birds per minute, which is approximately the processing speed used today in U.S. poultry plants. Researchers are testing the system for use in commercial poultry or meat-processing plants. The detection system is expected to more reliably locate potential food safety problems, reduce processing delays and save processing expenses. Contact: W. Robert Windham, USDA-ARS Richard B. Russell Agricultural Research Center, 950 College Station Rd., Athens, GA 30605. Phone: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].