Abstract

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.

Keywords

Meat, identification, isotope mass spectrometry, organic products, traceability, geographical origin

FUNDING

The research was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, grant for major scientific projects in priority areas of scientific and technological development (Agreement No. 075-15-2024-483, April 24, 2024).

REFERENCES

1. Lavrushina OI. Up-to-date methods for adulteration detection in meat and meat products (Analytical report). Proceedings of the Federal Center for Animal Health Protection. 2017;15:153–170. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/XRDRSP
2. Yurchak ZA, Maslova NV, Starchikova D. The overview falsification meat with food additives. Vsyo o myase. 2016;(5):14–17. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/WWYILR
3. Semenova AA. Food additives in the meat industry: Reality and fiction. Product Quality Control. 2015;(7):54–56. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/TXPVUB
4. Truonghuynh HT, Li GB, Jaganathan GK. Isotope analysis as a means of tracing aquatic products authenticity, source and geographic origins. Italian Journal of Food Science. 2020;32(3):517–527. https://doi.org/10.14674/IJFS-1778
5. Chernukha I, Yurchak Z, Kuzmina E. Study on the meat isotopick composition for origin identification. Potravinarstvo Slovak Journal of Food Sciences. 2018;12(1):262–266. https://doi.org/10.5219/906
6. Gorbunova NA. Possibilities of using stable isotopes for identification of geographical origin of meat and meat products. A review. Theory and practice of meat processing. 2018;3(1):46–58. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21323/2414-438X-2018-3-1-46-58
7. Huang J, Norgbey E, Nkrumah PN, Opoku PA, Apreku TO. Detection of corn oil in adulterated olive and soybean oil by carbon stable isotope analysis. Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety. 2017;12:201–208. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00003-017-1097-x
8. Paolini M, Bontempo L, Camin F. Compound-specific δ13C and δ2H analysis of olive oil fatty acids. Talanta. 2017;174:38–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2017.05.080
9. Ehtesham E, Camin F, Bontempo L, Frew RD. Stable isotope measurements and modeling to verify the authenticity of dairy products. In: Camin F, Bontempo L, editors. Food Forensics. FL: CRC Press; 2017, ch. 10. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315151649
10. da Silva DAF, Biscola NP, dos Santos LD, Sartori MMP, Denadai JC, et al. Detecting animal by-product intake using stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). The Veterinary Journal. 2016;217:119–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2016.10.002
11. Snyder H. Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research. 2019;104:333–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039
12. Torraco RJ. Writing integrative reviews of the literature: Methods and purposes. International Journal of Adult Vocational Education and Technology. 2016;7(3):62–70. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJAVET.2016070106
13. Neupane A, Lazicki P, Mayes MA, Lee J, Jagadamma S. The use of stable carbon isotopes to decipher global change effects on soil organic carbon: Present status, limitations, and future prospects. Biogeochemistry 2022;160:315–354. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-022-00963-3
14. Oganesyants LA, Panasyuk AL, Kuzmina EI, Ganin MYu. Isotopes of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen ethanol in fruit wines. Food Processing: Techniques and Technology. 2020;50(4):717–725. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21603/2074-9414-2020-4-717-725
15. Vinci G, Preti R, Tieri A, Vieri S. Authenticity and quality of animal origin food investigated by stable‐isotope ratio analysis. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2013;93(3):439–448. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.5970
16. Solovyev AІ, Podkolzin IV, Amelin VG, Nikeshina TB. Authentication of food animal products. Proceedings of the Federal Center for Animal Health Protection. 2015;13:215–234. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/UNXADP
17. Tanz N, Schmidt H-L. δ34S-value measurements in food origin assignments and sulfur isotope fractionations in plants and animals. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2010;58(5):3139–3146. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf903251k
18. Krivachy N, Rossmann A, Schmidt H-L. Potentials and caveats with oxygen and sulfur stable isotope analyses in authenticity and origin checks of food and food commodities. Food Control. 2015;48:143–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2014.06.002
19. Kurle CM, Koch PL, Tershy BR, Croll DA. The effects of sex, tissue type, and dietary components on stable isotope discrimination factors (Δ13C and Δ15N) in mammalian omnivores. Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies.2014;50(3):307–321. https://doi.org/10.1080/10256016.2014.908872
20. Renou J-P, Bielicki G, Deponge C, Gachon P, Micol D, et al. Characterization of animal products according to geographic origin and feeding diet using nuclear magnetic resonance and isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Part II: Beef meat. Food Chemistry. 2004;86(2):251–256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2003.08.021
21. Pianezze S, Camin F, Perini M, Corazzin M, Piasentier E. Tracing lamb meat with stable isotope ratio analysis: A review. Small Ruminant Research. 2021;203:106482 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2021.106482
22. Perini M, Camin F, Bontempo L, Rossmann A, Piasentier E. Multielement (H, C, N, O, S) stable isotope characteristics of lamb meat from different Italian regions. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry. 2009;23(16):2573–2585. https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.4140
23. Bontempo L, Perini M, Pianezze S, Horacek M, Roßmann A, et al. Characterization of beef coming from different European countries through stable isotope (H, C, N, and S) Ratio Analysis. Molecules. 2023;28(6):2856. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28062856
24. McNicol G, Yu Z, Berry ZC, Emery N, Soper FM, et al. Tracing plant-environment interactions from organismal to planetary scales using stable isotopes: A mini review. Emerging Topics in Life Sciences. 2021;5(2):301–316. https://doi.org/10.1042/ETLS20200277
25. Zhao Y, Yang S, Wang D. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes as a potential tool to differentiate pork from organic and conventional systems. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2016;96(11):3950–3955. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.7567
26. Zhao Y, Tu T, Tang X, Zhao S, Qie M, et al. Authentication of organic pork and identification of geographical origins of pork in four regions of China by combined analysis of stable isotopes and multi-elements. Meat Science. 2020;165:108129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2020.108129
27. Bahar B, Schmidt O, Moloney AP, Scrimgeour CM, Begley IS, et al. Seasonal variation in the C, N and S stable isotope composition of retail organic and conventional Irish beef. Food Chemistry. 2008;106(3):1299–1305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2007.07.053
28. Inácio CT, Chalk PM. Principles and limitations of stable isotopes in differentiating organic and conventional foodstuffs: 2. Animal products. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2017;57(1):181–196. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2014.887056
29. Cristea G, Voica C, Feher I, Puscas R, Magdas DA. Isotopic and elemental characterization of Romanian pork meat in corroboration with advanced chemometric methods: A first exploratory study. Meat Science. 2022:189:108825. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2022.108825
30. Ayaz Y, Ayaz ND, Erol I. Detection of species in meat and meat products using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Journal of Muscle Foods. 2006;17(2):214–220. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-4573.2006.00046.x
31. Ballin NZ, Lametsch R. Analytical methods for authentication of fresh vs. thawed meat – A review. Meat Science. 2008;80(2):151–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2007.12.024
32. Ballin NZ, Madsen KG. Sex determination in beef by melting curve analysis of PCR amplicons from the amelogenin locus. Meat Science. 2007;77(3):384–388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2007.04.029
33. Ballin NZ, Vogensen FK, Karlsson AH. Species determination – Can we detect and quantify meat adulteration? Meat Science. 2009;83(2):165–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2009.06.003
34. Chernukha I, Yurchak Z, Kuzmina E. Study on the meat isotopick composition for origin identification. Potravinarstvo Slovak Journal of Food Sciences. 2018;12(1):262–266. https://doi.org/10.5219/906
35. Gorbunova NA. Possibilities of using stable isotopes for identification of geographical origin of meat and meat products. A review. Theory and Practice of Meat Processing. 2018;3(1):46–58. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21323/2414-438X-2018-3-1-46-58
36. Kim KS, Kim JS, Hwang IM, Jeong IS, Khan N, et al. Application of stable isotope ratio analysis for origin authentication of pork. Korean Journal for Food Science of Animal Resources. 2013;33(1):39–44. https://doi.org/10.5851/kosfa.2013.33.1.39
37. Nie J, Shao S, Xia W, Liu Z, Yu C, et al. Stable isotopes verify geographical origin of yak meat from Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Meat Science. 2020;165:108113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2020.108113
38. Piasentier E, Valusso R, Camin F, Versini G. Stable isotope ratio analysis for authentication of lamb meat. Meat Science. 2003;64(3):239–247. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0309-1740(02)00183-3
39. Erasmus SW, Muller M, van der Rijst M, Hoffman LC. Stable isotope ratio analysis: A potential analytical tool for the authentication of South African lamb meat. Food Chemistry. 2016;192:997–1005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.07.121
40. Liu X, Guo B, Wei Y, Shi J, Sun S. Stable isotope analysis of cattle tail hair: A potential tool for verifying the geographical origin of beef. Food Chemistry. 2013;140(1–2):135–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.02.020
41. Ballin NZ. Authentication of meat and meat products. Meat Science. 2010;86(3):577–587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2010.06.001
42. Monahan FJ, Schmidt O, Moloney AP. Meat provenance: Authentication of geographical origin and dietary background of meat. Meat Science. 2018;144:2–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.05.008
43. Franke BM, Koslitz S, Micaux F, Piantini U, Maury V, et al. Tracing the geographic origin of poultry meat and dried beef with oxygen and strontium isotope ratios. European Food Research and Technology. 2008;226:761−769. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-007-0588-x
44. Horacek M, Eisinger E, Papesch W. Reliability of stable isotope values from meat juice for the determination of the meat origin. Food Chemistry. 2010;118(4):910–914. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.03.090
45. Camin F, Bontempo L, Perini M, Piasentier E. Stable isotope ratio analysis for assessing the authenticity of food of animal origin. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 2016;15(5):868–877. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12219
46. Moloney AP, O'Riordan EG, Schmidt O, Monahan FJ. The fatty acid profile and stable isotope ratios of C and N of muscle from cattle that grazed grass or grass/clover pastures before slaughter and their discriminatory potential. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research. 2018;57:84–94. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijafr-2018-0009
47. Guo BL, Wei YM, Kelly SD, Simon KD, Pan JR, et al. Application of stable hydrogen isotope analysis in beef geographical origin traceability. Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry. 2009;37(9):1333–1336. (In Chinese)
48. Yanagi Y, Hirooka H, Oishi K, Choumei Y, Hiroshi H, et al. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis as a tool for inferring beef cattle feeding systems in Japan. Food Chemistry. 2012;134(1):502–506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.02.107
49. Guo BL, Wei YM, Pan JR, Li Y. Application of carbon and nitrogen isotope in beef origin traceability. Scientia Agricultura Sinica. 2007;40(2):365–372. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.3864/j.issn.0578-1752.at-2006-7544
50. Zhao S, Zhang H, Zhang B, Xu Z, Chen A, et al. A rapid sample preparation method for the analysis of stable isotope ratios of beef samples from different countries. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry. 2020;34(13):e8795. https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.8795
51. Bong Y-S, Shin W-J, Lee A-R, Kim Y-S, Kim K, et al. Tracing the geographical origin of beefs being circulated in Korean markets based on stable isotopes. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry. 2010;24(1):155–159. https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.4366
52. Nakashita R, Suzuki Y, Akamatsu F, Iizumi Y, Korenaga T, et al. Stable carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotope analysis as a potential tool for verifying geographical origin of beef. Analitica Chimica Acta. 2008;617(1–2):148–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2008.03.048
53. Sun F-M, Shi G-Y, Wang H-W, Yang S-M. Stable hydrogen, oxygen and sulfur isotopes composition in different tissues of cattle. Journal of Nuclear Agricultural Sciences. 2012;26(8):1148–1153. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.11869/hnxb.2012.08.1148