Geographical origin and breed discrimination of Apulian lamb meat samples by means of analytical and spectroscopic determinations

With the aim of finding parameters capable of characterizing meat according to geographical origin, twenty-five lamb meat samples from three areas located in Apulia (Southern Italy) were analysed for moisture, ash, fat and protein content, stable isotope ratios (15N/14N and 13C/12C), major elements (Ca, Mg, Na, K) and trace metals (Zn, Cu, Fe, Cr). 1H high resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) NMR spectra were also obtained for all the samples. The advantages of the 1H HR-MAS NMR technique are that sample preparation is easy, since the spectrum is obtained directly on the minced solid sample, and that information is acquired for a large number of metabolites (amino acids, fatty acids, sugars, etc.). plication of multivariate statistical analysis to two data sets containing tissue composition results together with the metals contents and 1H HR-MAS NMR spectral data together with isotope ratios, respectively, provided in both cases a satisfactory origin differentiation of lamb meat samples.