A big step forward to the future of meat! SLU at the world's largest meat science congress

Under the theme "A Big Step Forward to the Future of Meat," the congress brought together meat scientists, industry leaders, and policymakers from across the globe to discuss how meat production and consumption can evolve to meet the demands of a growing, changing world, from muscle biology and processing innovation to sustainability, nutrition, and the diverging paths taken by East and West.

SLU and Sweden were represented at ICoMST 2026 by Associate Professor Galia Zamaratskaia from the Department of Molecular Sciences, and PhD student Qasim Mashood from the Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare.  Both presented posters covering different sides of meat quality, from functional ingredient development to the genetics behind quality defects.

Two posters, one mission

Galia Zamaratskaia presented "Collagen Hydrolysate from Poultry Distal Limbs as a Functional Ingredient for Cooked Sausage Production," on turning poultry by-products, parts that would otherwise go to waste, into a functional ingredient for sausage manufacturing, adding value across the whole production chain. The work was a collaboration between Kadyrzhan Makangali and Kalamkas Dairova (Saken Seifullin Kazakh AgroTechnical Research University, Kazakhstan), Galia Zamaratskaia (SLU), Aruzhan Shoman (Astana IT University, Kazakhstan), and Tamara Tultabayeva (University of California, Davis, USA). Chicken feet were broken down through enzymatic hydrolysis and combined with Salicornia perennans, a mineral- and antioxidant-rich plant already used as a natural salt substitute in meat products. Adding the resulting hydrolysate together with Salicornia to cooked sausages improved water- and fat-holding capacity, increased product yield during cooking, and gave the sausages notably high color stability, all while keeping protein content high.

Qasim Mashood presented "Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies Metabolic and Regulatory Candidate Regions Associated with PSE-like Zones," on the genetics behind PSE-like defects, localized zones of pale, soft and exudative meat with poor water-holding capacity that reduce processing quality in pig ham. The study was carried out with Katarina Arvidsson Segerkvist, Anna Wallenbeck, Anders H. Karlsson, Anna M. Johansson and Susanne Eriksson , examining 184 Yorkshire × Hampshire crossbred pigs raised at the Swedish Livestock Research Centre. Using genome-wide association analysis, the team identified a candidate region on chromosome 15, close to the previously known PRKAG3 gene, along with additional regions linked to mitochondrial energy metabolism and metabolic stress. While no single genetic marker reached full genome-wide significance, the findings point to PSE-like zones as a polygenic trait shaped by multiple genes involved in postmortem muscle metabolism, a foundation for future work toward marker-assisted breeding for better ham quality.

“Every time I attend ICoMST, I'm reminded why international collaboration matters so much in meat science”, said Galia. “It was a great opportunity to present my work to the international meat science community and hear how researchers elsewhere are approaching genetic markers for meat quality”, added Qasim.

East meets West. Perspectives on the future of the meat industry

Across the week, sessions covered muscle biology and meat biochemistry, meat quality, processing innovation, smart-factory technologies, and traditional meat products and culture — spanning topics from rumen microbiota and prenatal nutrition in cattle to AI-assisted quality assessment and the reformulation of fermented sausages and hybrid meat products. Plenary lectures offered contrasting views on the future of the meat industry in the West and in Asia, while other talks turned to consumer behavior.  Professor Frédéric Leroy (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) argued that an excessive focus on carbon accounting, what he termed “carbon tunnel vision”, risks overlooking real trade-offs in nutrition, biodiversity, and rural livelihoods, and cited H. L. Mencken's warning that there is “always a well-known solution to every human problem - neat, plausible, and wrong”. Professor Guanghong Zhou (Nanjing Agricultural University) offered the Asian perspective, describing a distinct "hybrid transition model" for the region's meat industry, one driven not by consumer demand as in the US, nor by regulation as in the EU, but by a combination of corporate investment, government policy, and digital platforms.

AI enters the factory floor

The Smart Factory session turned to a different kind of transformation. Professor Igor Tomasevic (University of Belgrade) presented "AI in Meat Science and Industry," outlining how artificial intelligence is moving from research applications, such as image-based quality grading and predictive modeling, into practical use on the factory floor, including real-time monitoring and process optimization across the meat supply chain.

Building connections beyond the podium

The congress offered a valuable platform for professional development, networking, and cultural exchange. Participants engaged directly with leading international meat scientists, exchanged ideas on the poster floor, and experienced Korean culinary traditions alongside the latest scientific developments, a fitting pairing for a congress dedicated to the future of meat.

The SLU delegation extends its thanks to the ICoMST 2026 organizing committee for a well-run and stimulating congress, and looks forward to the next edition. The next ICoMST will be held in Belgrade from August 22 to 27, 2027. https://icomst2027.com/