Cooking loss in goat meat points to metabolic quality markers
New research in Etawah goats from Indonesia shows why meat quality cannot be reduced to a single pH value or carcass conformation. The team compared six animals selected from a group of 30 because they showed high or low cooking loss. Using RNA sequencing of liver tissue, it identified 332 differentially expressed genes. The focus on the liver is consistent with its central role in lipid, energy and nutrient metabolism—processes that can indirectly influence the water-holding capacity of muscle.
More EU poultry supply will depend on import approval and feed costs
The European Commission’s new autumn outlook changes how poultry-meat availability in Europe should be read. For 2026, the Commission expects EU poultry-meat production to increase by 3.3%, while imports are projected to rise by 17.1% versus 2025. Beef is expected to move in the opposite direction, with output forecast to fall by 2.2%, while pigmeat production is projected to increase by 0.5%. Greater poultry presence in the market therefore does not result from a single lever.
Butchers need contribution-margin discipline as volumes weaken
The quarterly survey by the Deutscher Fleischer-Verband among 92 member businesses paints a difficult picture for Germany’s butcher trade. Almost 40% of businesses reported lower sales in the first half of 2026, while around 29% reported improvement. In terms of volume, roughly 42% recorded declines. The survey is not statistically representative of the entire sector, but it does provide a current signal from organised businesses.
Packaged pork protects earnings while fresh pork absorbs commodity pressure
Smithfield Foods’ quarterly figures show a clear split between fresh pork and packaged meats in a weaker commodity-market environment. In the fiscal third quarter ended 27 September 2026, group sales fell 8.3% to $3.4 billion. Operating profit declined from $310 million to $127 million. By contrast, the Packaged Meats segment increased operating profit from $226 million to $230 million and lifted its margin from 10.8% to 11.6%.
Sustainable pork labels need auditable welfare criteria and system equivalence
Italy’s draft specification for “pork from sustainable farming” has received observations from the European Commission and Austria under the European technical-regulation notification procedure. The matter is relevant because the SQNZ system aims to link a national quality designation to requirements on sustainability, animal welfare, biosecurity, feeding, environmental management, training and control. The specification has not yet received final recognition.
