Suckling lamb meat: A smart and sustainable food combining tradition and innovation

Meat from milk-fed lambs is one of the most relevant products in the traditional dairy sheep industry. This product is the meat from suckling lambs fed maternal milk in flocks raised almost only on pasture. The aim of this paper is to briefly summarise current knowledge of the qualitative traits of suckling lamb meat, with special attention paid to the lipid fraction. We report the main scientific data for suckling lamb meat that contributes to its alleged properties as a functional and environmentally sustainable food. Furthermore, reference is made to how innovative chill/freeze technologies can be profitable, enlarging consumption of this meat in the dynamic global markets.