Physico-chemical and microbial signatures for differentiation of slaughtered and dead goat meat: Towards authentication of illegally sourced meat

Goat meat (chevon) is widely consumed in developing countries, where consumer preference strongly favours freshly slaughtered meat. However, the illegal sale and misrepresentation of meat from animals that die prior to slaughter pose significant concerns for food safety, quality, and ethical compliance. Despite this, no standardised analytical approach exists for differentiating properly slaughtered goat meat (SGM) from meat originating from dead goat meat (DGM). The present study aimed systematically to differentiate SGM and DGM at 1, 8, 16, and 24 h post-slaughter/death using physico-chemical, microbiological, proximate, and mineral parameters. Results revealed that DGM exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) higher cooking loss, myoglobin content, and microbial load, whereas pH, water holding capacity, and extract release volume were significantly lower compared to SGM. Proximate composition showed no significant differences between the two groups. Temporal analysis indicated a decline over time in pH, water holding capacity, extract release volume, and proximate components, alongside an increase in cooking loss and microbial counts. Elevated iron and manganese levels in DGM further reflected higher residual blood content due to inadequate bleeding. These findings demonstrate distinct physico-chemical and microbiological signatures that can effectively differentiate SGM and DGM. This study represents the first comprehensive report on goat meat differentiation and provides a scientific basis for developing rapid analytical tools to detect meat fraud and ensure food authenticity.