Muscle fiber types in mutton: implications for meat quality and flavor formation—a review

Mutton quality and flavor are closely associated with muscle fiber type composition. This review summarizes muscle fiber classification, mutton flavor formation pathways, and the effects of muscle fiber types on color, pH, tenderness, juiciness, and flavor compounds. It also discusses how genotype, age, sex, feeding practices, and nutrition regulate mutton quality through muscle fiber transformation, providing references for high-quality mutton production.