Animal Science Innovations for Healthier and More Sustainable Meat Products

Livestock systems are adapting to societal demands for meat that is not only safe and palatable but also healthier and more sustainable. Advances in animal nutrition, welfare, and genetics have already improved production efficiency and product consistency. However, increasing concerns about saturated fat intake, greenhouse gas emissions, and ethical production require ongoing innovation. Animal scientists play a central role in this transformation, identifying biological, nutritional, and management strategies that enhance the nutritional value and sustainability of meat while maintaining desirable sensory characteristics. Integrating these insights with downstream product innovation, including reformulated and hybrid meat products, represents a key frontier for modern animal science.The aim of this Research Topic is to identify and promote animal-based innovations that enhance the healthfulness, sustainability, and overall quality of meat products. It seeks to synthesize research on how breeding, feeding, and management practices influence carcass composition, nutrient profiles, and sensory traits, and how these can be optimized for both consumer health and environmental responsibility. Emerging approaches, such as the partial replacement of animal fat with plant or algal ingredients, hybrid formulations, and clean-label processing, extend the traditional boundaries of animal science towards integrative product innovation. This Research Topic encourages studies that link production-level science with product-level outcomes - for example, how dietary manipulation or genetic improvement alters fatty acid composition or oxidative stability, and how these effects can support the development of sustainable, health-oriented, and reformulated meat products. The ultimate goal is to provide an integrated framework for future-oriented meat systems that align with nutritional and sustainability objectives.This Research Topic welcomes submissions focused on:• Effects of genetics, feeding, and management on carcass and meat quality traits;• Nutritional and fatty acid composition of meat and its improvement through animal-level interventions;• Animal welfare practices influencing product quality and sustainability metrics;• Integration of animal science findings into product reformulation and hybrid meat development;• Consumer perception and health implications of nutritionally improved meat.We invite Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, and Perspectives that bridge animal production with product innovation, aiming to strengthen the role of animal science in shaping the future of healthy and sustainable meat systems. Topic editors: Nikola Stanišić, Branislav V Šojić, Antonella Dalle Zotte Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/76128/animal-science-innovations-for-healthier-and-more-sustainable-meat-products