Accurate lamb origin identification and molecular differentiation analysis using rapid evaporative ionization mass...

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Analytical Chemistry
• Mass Spectrometry

Background:

• Ensuring food authenticity and quality requires rapid and accurate methods for tracing the origin of lamb.
• Current traceability methods may lack the speed and precision needed for real-time food safety applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a precise traceability method for determining lamb origin using rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) and multivariate statistical analysis.
• To assess the capability of REIMS in discriminating lamb meat based on geographical origin and feeding systems (grazing vs. feedlot).

Main Methods:

• Lamb samples from distinct ranches (Xilin Gol, Ordos, Hulun Buir) were analyzed using REIMS fingerprinting.
• Multivariate statistical analysis was employed to build discrimination models based on lipid molecular features, small-molecule metabolites, fatty acids, and full-spectrum molecules.
• Differential analysis of REIMS fingerprints was performed to compare lamb meat from different origins and feeding methods.

Main Results:

• REIMS fingerprinting identified lamb origin within one minute with high accuracy.
• The lipid molecular features model achieved the highest recognition accuracy (99.14%), outperforming other models.
• Lamb from Xilin Gol ranch showed lower glycerophosphate (PA) content; grazing resulted in lower PA and higher unsaturated fatty acid content compared to feedlot systems.

Conclusions:

• REIMS is a highly accurate and rapid tool for discriminating lamb meat based on origin and feeding systems.
• The method provides valuable molecular evidence for superior nutritional quality and distinct flavor profiles in grazed lamb.
• REIMS offers significant technical support for enhancing lamb origin traceability and quality assessment in the food industry.