Systems and methods for using multi-dimensional X-ray imaging in meat production and processing applications

An imaging system configured to evaluate meat, comprising:

• an X-ray scanning system configured to generate X-ray scan data of meat;
• a hyperspectral imaging system configured to generate hyperspectral imaging data;
• a computing device in data communication with the X-ray scanning system and the hyperspectral imaging system, wherein the computing device includes a processor and memory storing a plurality of programmatic instructions which when executed by the processor, configures the processor to:
• acquire the X-ray scan data and hyperspectral imaging data, wherein the X-ray scan data includes a plurality of energy bands ranging from 3 to 20 and wherein each of the energy bands are in the range of 20-160 keV;
• automatically determine a quality of the meat by analyzing the acquired X-ray scan data in combination with the hyperspectral imaging data;
• categorize the meat, based on the determined quality, into one of acceptable quality and unacceptable quality categories;
• and
• generate data indicative of the quality of the meat.

An imaging system configured to evaluate meat, comprising:

• an X-ray scanning system configured to generate X-ray scan data of meat, wherein the X-ray scanning system comprises a first X-ray source with an energy ranging from 120 to 160 keV with beam current ranging from 0.2 to 1.25 mA and a second X-ray source with an energy ranging from 120 to 160 keV with a beam current ranging from 0.2 to 1.25 mA, wherein the first X-ray source is configured in up-shooter configuration and the second X-ray source is configured in a side-shooter configuration and wherein the X-ray scanning system comprises multi-energy photon counting X-ray sensor arrays;
• a hyperspectral imaging system configured to generate hyperspectral imaging data;
• a computing device in data communication with the X-ray scanning system and the hyperspectral imaging system, wherein the computing device includes a processor and memory storing a plurality of programmatic instructions which when executed by the processor, configures the processor to:
• acquire the X-ray scan data and hyperspectral imaging data;
• automatically determine a quality of the meat by analyzing the acquired X-ray scan data in combination with the hyperspectral imaging data;
• categorize the meat, based on the determined quality, into one of acceptable quality and unacceptable quality categories;
• and
• generate data indicative of the quality of the meat.