Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and NSW producer, The Gourmet Goat Lady, have completed a proof-of-concept project demonstrating that goat salami can be safely manufactured and sold in Australia, opening a new value-added opportunity for the goatmeat sector.
The project was designed to determine whether farmed goatmeat could meet the requirements for producing uncooked comminuted (finely minced) fermented meat (UCFM) products, and whether goat salami could be integrated into existing smallgoods operations without significant changes.
A key outcome was the NSW Food Authority’s approval to produce a 100 per cent goatmeat, pork-free salami. The authority said the recipe and process met food safety standards, despite there being no existing state protocol for goatmeat UCFM products.
The research showed that goatmeat salami can be manufactured using the same processes applied to pork or beef salami, with additional safety steps, such as freezing raw inputs and expanded microbial testing, found to be operationally manageable and economically viable. Testing confirmed that farmed goatmeat contained enough natural fat to achieve an 80:20 meat-to-fat ratio, compared with the typical 70:30 ratio in pork salami, removing the need for fat supplementation and critical for maintaining a pork-free formulation.
The research also found:
- farmed goatmeat behaves similarly to pork and beef during fermentation and curing;
- oxidation risks linked to goatmeat’s higher unsaturated fat levels did not impede product quality; and
- the NSW Food Authority’s assessment process was efficient, with a turnaround of around one week.
MLA said these findings demonstrated goat salami could be absorbed into existing smallgoods production systems without major operational changes.
MLA group manager – Science and Innovation, Michael Lee, said the outcome provided a new commercial pathway for Australian goatmeat.
“This project demonstrates the potential for goatmeat to move further up the value chain through a safe, high-quality smallgoods product.
“Given goatmeat’s global acceptance and minimal cultural or religious barriers, the potential reach for goat salami is significant,” Lee said.
The Gourmet Goat Lady founder, Jo Stewart, said the collaboration validated goat salami as a premium product. The company’s salami, developed through the project with support from Papandrea Fine Foods, received a gold medal at the 2025 Melbourne Royal Australian Food Awards in the Champion Smallgoods category, judged against 182 entries.
“Winning a gold medal is a proud moment. It reflects the craftsmanship behind the product and the rigorous development process undertaken with MLA. This proves goat salami can be produced safely and to a premium standard,” Steward said.
MLA said research identified strong potential across two consumer groups: buyers of gourmet or artisanal deli meats, and consumers seeking pork-free alternatives for cultural or religious reasons.
The full research report is available via MLA’s Goat Smallgoods PoC Study. Stewart will showcase the award-winning product at MLA Updates in Adelaide on 20 November.
Smallgoods manufacturers seeking information on safe salami production can refer to the latest AMIC Smallgoods Guidelines.
