Isotope Mass Spectrometry in Meat Identification

Meat and meat products are consumed by a large proportion of the population. As a result, food scientists keep inventing new methods for meat identification, e.g., isotope mass spectrometry. This reliable method also makes it possible to identify the composition of meat and its geographic origin. This article offers a comprehensive review of scientific literature on isotope mass spectrometry and sampling methods. The review covered Russian and English-language scientific publications registered in RSCI, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, MDPI, Springer Link, PubMed, and Web of Science in 2010–2023, with occasional older articles. The search and analysis relied on the methods developed by H. Snyder and R. G. Toracco. The review revealed the factors that define the ratio of stable isotopes in the composition of meat and meat products, as well as the main methods of their identification. When standard approaches fail to trace the ingredients, the method of isotope mass spectrometry classifies meat samples by the animal diet because different feeds have different isotopic profiles. The meat origin information is especially crucial for consumers that have to maintain a specialized diet. The method identifies organic meat products by δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N and uses isotopic characteristics to determine the geographic origin of meat, thus preventing mislabeling. The review also revealed the most efficient and least time-consuming method of sample processing that saves up to 30 h. Isotope mass spectrometry ensures the quality and safety of meat products by defining the authenticity and origin of meat even in complex meat foods. In meat products, the isotope ratios of hydrogen (2H/1H), carbon (13C/12C), oxygen (18O/16O), nitrogen (15N/14N), and sulfur (34S/32S) depend on the diet, fertilizers, and climate. These indicators form a unique isotopic signature that provides important information about the nature and origin of meat.