2017 Volume 53 Issue 5 Pages 147-156
The purpose of this study was to maintain skill levels among middle traders for distinguishing the species of puffers and improve food safety and security. The models for distinguishing the species of puffers by capturing the color characteristics of dressed meat samples were developed. Meat samples from 5 species （dressed ocellate puffer, purple puffer, panther puffer, vermiculated puffer, and white chestnut） were used; these samples consisted of 90 as a basis. Useful color combinations were selected for discrimination from these samples. Discriminant models were made up of fish species as the criterion values and the color combinations as the predictor variables, respectively. A total of 11 models were developed, 10 models to discriminate two each among 5 species, and another model to discriminate all species in a lump. The models correctly identified at least 87% of the dressed meat samples. In addition, the results of an evaluation experiment using 20 specimens of each meat from 5 species revealed that high accuracy could be similarly obtained and the potential usefulness of the models was confirmed.
