Abstract:In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of electronic tongue (ET) and near infrared spectra (NIRS) technique in the origin traceability of imported beef. The characteristic taste and the near infrared spectral data of imported Angus beef samples from Australia, New Zealand and Canada were separately determined by ET and NIRS, and then treated by principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical discriminant analysis (CDA), and qualitative discrimination models were finally established for tracing the geographical origin of imported beef. The results showed that the ET signal values of imported beef samples from different geographical origins were significantly different on four sensors as following: SRS (sour), STS (salty), SWS (sweet) and GPS (composite taste 2). Significant differences was also detected among the imported beef samples from three regions based on the NIR spectra over the full spectral range (4 400-12 000 cm-1) after pretreatment of SNV (Standard Normal Variable transformation), FD (First Derivative) and SG (Savitzky-Golay Smoothing). PCA and CDA models established based on the ET and pretreated NIRs data could effectively distinguish imported beef samples from three different geographical origins, and the discrimination accuracy of both were 100%. Hence, the ET and NIRS combined with multivariate statistical methods were effective in geographical tracing of imported Angus beef from Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Our results provide technical references and supportive data for the quality and safety inspection and monitoring of imported beef in China.