Meat Image Japan’s digital carcass camera a step forward for Aussie Wagyu

The way high marbling beef carcasses are graded is about to change with new technology from Japan. Here’s what you need to know.

The MIJ-30 carcass camera measuring marbling on a beef carcass.

High marbling beef carcasses can now be objectively graded using a new camera from Meat Image Japan.

AUS-MEAT has given conditional approval for the MIJ-30 digital carcass camera to be used to objectively grade high marble score carcasses from 0 to 9+.

Previously objective grading cameras were limited to grading marble scores of 6 or less.

It’s a positive step forward for the Wagyu industry, as most Wagyu measures above 6 on the marbling scale.

The MIJ-30 digital carcass camera is the first and only approved technology for High AUS-MEAT grading across the full marbling range and the conditional approval relies on maintaining the standards required in the AUS-MEAT regulations.

Australian Wagyu Association chief executive Matt McDonagh said marbling in the AUS-MEAT grading system was done via visual assessment and determined subjectively by individual assessors.

“It’s a difficult process and requires a lot of skill, the camera provides a way of doing this rapidly, accurately and objectively,” Dr McDonagh said.

“The repeatability of getting the same result each time is very high. This will help standardise grading across the industry.”

While the AUS-MEAT grading system goes to 9+, Dr McDonagh said the camera is able to identify carcasses with a marble score of 15, as about 30 per cent of Wagyus grade higher than a 9 or 9+.

Marbling on some Wagyu beef.

“The camera allows us to digitally measure marbling well above 9+, meaning we can identify truly elite carcasses, which may provide the opportunity for the Wagyu sector to grow new markets for ultra premium product and it allows us to fully measure Wagyu variation and to maximise genetics,” he said.

According to AWA, Meat Image Japan is recognised as the founder of objective carcass

quality grading for high-value beef applications, with its technologies used across the major premium global beef markets including Japan, the US, Europe and Australia.

MIJ has partnered with AW) to accelerate the development of the camera within the Australian premium-quality beef sector and more than 30,000 carcasses across multiple Australian supply chains have been analysed to build the reference set for the new MIJ

cloud-based carcass grading system.

Dr McDonagh said the MIJ-30 camera is able to measure marbling fineness, a key attribute important to Wagyu quality.

“The camera is able to be used on all cattle for marbling measurement, but it is particularly valuable for the high marbling and long-fed breeds,” he said.