Danish Crown introduces Frontmatec’s marbling technology for beef classification
DENMARK – Danish Crown has implemented Q-FOM™ Beef, a technology developed by Frontmatec, to assess the marbling of beef carcasses at its slaughterhouses in Aalborg and Holsted.
The imaging system, which has been in development for several years, analyzes the right ribs of cows, heifers, and steers to determine intramuscular fat levels.
With the introduction of this system, Danish Crown Beef is introducing a financial supplement for suppliers whose animals meet specific marbling requirements, with payouts reaching up to US$0.22 (150 øre) per kilogram.
The Q-FOM™ Beef camera digitally registers marbling levels and classifies carcasses, providing a standardized and objective assessment that replaces the evaluations previously done by trained classifiers.
The system was first approved for beef classification in Australia in 2023, where it was used to analyze the cut surface between the 10th and 13th ribs.
As part of the FutureBeefCross project—a collaboration between Frontmatec, Danish Crown, SEGES Innovation, and Aarhus University—the technology was refined to assess marbling in the ribeye between the 4th and 6th ribs, aligning with European classification requirements.
Danish Crown expects the new payment model to encourage more farmers to finish fattening their cattle before slaughter, particularly dairy cattle and premium heifers, which have been identified as producing higher marbling levels.
The company aims to gather more data on factors influencing marbling, such as feeding, breed, and age, using Q-FOM™ Beef to support decision-making on animal production.
High-marbling beef, especially sirloin cuts, is in demand in Southern European markets such as Italy and Spain, where it is sold under Danish Crown’s MASTERPIECE 1887 brand.
According to Danish Crown’s sales director for Southern Europe, Jan E. Nørhede, customers in these markets are willing to pay more for well-marbled meat, particularly for use in the restaurant industry.
The introduction of Q-FOM™ Beef marks a shift toward more precise and transparent beef classification, providing Danish Crown with a competitive edge in supplying high-value meat products.
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