The limits of the colorimeter and a technique of image analysis in evaluating the color of beef, pork, and
chicken were investigated. The Minolta CR-400 colorimeter and a computer vision system (CVS) were
employed to measure colorimetric characteristics. To evaluate the chromatic fidelity of the image of the sample
displayed on themonitor, a similarity testwas carried out using a trained panel. The panelists found the digital images
of the samples visualized on themonitor very similar to the actual ones (Pb0.001). During the first similarity
test the panelists observed at the same time both the actual meat sample and the sample image on themonitor in
order to evaluate the similarity between them (test A). Moreover, the panelistswere asked to evaluate the similarity
between two colors, both generated by the software Adobe Photoshop CS3 one using the L*, a* and b* values
read by the colorimeter and the other obtained using the CVS (test B); which of the two colors was more similar
to the sample visualized on themonitorwas also assessed (test C). The panelists found the digital images very similar
to the actual samples (Pb0.001). As to the similarity (test B) between the CVS- and colorimeter-based colors
the panelists found significant differences between them (Pb0.001). Test C showed that the color of the sample
on the monitor was more similar to the CVS generated color than to the colorimeter generated color. The differences
between the values of the L*, a*, b*, hue angle and chroma obtained with the CVS and the colorimeter
were statistically significant (Pb0.05–0.001). These results showed that the colorimeter did not generate coordinates
corresponding to the true color of meat. Instead, the CVS method seemed to give valid measurements that
reproduced a color very similar to the real one