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What's in the box?

26 April 2022
What's in the box?

AMPC is managing research into label verification. The research is looking at various technologies available to verify the contents of a box of meat with the label on the outside of the box. Using technology to do this takes out the potential for human error and ensures accuracy.

Traceability of meat through a processing plant is extremely important for export purposes and AMPC’s research program for label verification is helping processors find more efficient ways of matching box contents with box labels through technology. 

The program includes a project looking at the use of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags and embedding the tags on a box of meat with a similar tag on the cuts of meat inside the box. 

Another project works with artificial intelligence to take photos of cuts of meat within a box and then ensures it matches up with the wording on the label outside the box. A trial was conducted last year which identified six cuts of meat in one processing plant and matched them correctly to their box labels. A new trial is about to begin that will match 20 cuts of meat with their box labels at two processing plants. 

AMPC Program Manager Ann McDonald said, “The trial will compare several pieces of technology that are already commercially available and can be adapted for this work and will include looking at the cost of each. The preferred solution will be used for this new trial.”

The trial will also take a step back along the packing process and will look at using the camera and AI technology to assist workers to identify the correct cuts to go into the box.

Once this project has been completed, further work could include the automatic generation of labels once the camera/AI has verified the cut of meat in the box.

Ann said, “This is a great initiative to address label verification which can have a significant impact on market access. AMPC has two quite different options for processing plants to choose from and what fits best with their operation. Both solutions have the potential for commercialisation in the future.”