Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), together with The Gourmet Goat Lady, has completed a proof of concept project to create a salami product made from Australian goat meat.
The work responds to growing interest in deli meats and smallgoods and aims to position value added goatmeat as a premium choice for consumers seeking pork free options.
The project, funded through the MLA Donor Company, focused on proving that goat salami can be produced safely and meet Australian regulatory standards. Approval from the NSW Food Authority confirmed that salami can be made from 100 per cent farmed goat meat without added fat while maintaining safety and quality.
“This project demonstrates the potential for goat meat to move further up the value chain through a safe, high-quality smallgoods product,” said Michael Lee, group manager for science and innovation at MLA.
“This benefits industry by proving a new, valued-added range of goatmeat products can be safely developed. Given that goatmeat is consumed globally with few religious or cultural taboos against its consumption, the potential scope and reach of the market for goat meat smallgoods is significant.”
Testing throughout production confirmed food safety, and approval was granted for the trial recipe. The manufacturing process mirrors traditional salami production, which means goat salami can be incorporated into existing smallgoods operations with minimal change.
Farmed goat meat provided enough fat for an 80:20 meat to fat ratio, yielding a leaner product than the typical 70:30 pork salami while preserving quality and sensory traits. Extra food safety steps, including freezing inputs and increased microbial testing, were found to be practical and cost effective.
“Winning a gold medal at the 2025 Melbourne Royal Australian Food Awards for our goat salami is a proud moment,” said Jo Stewart, founder of The Gourmet Goat Lady.
The gold medal in the Champion Smallgoods category, selected from 182 entries, recognised flavour, balance, texture and craftsmanship.