The sheep meat production system contributes to the economy of sheep farmers to a greater extent. Considering the value of sheep meat, several researchers have attempted strategically to study various domains of sheep meat production and its marketing. The research on mutton production was mainly oriented to lean meat and fatty acid profile. Sheep meat marketing research has covered aspects of consumer demand and education. Studies reveal that the industrial meat production system in sheep contributes more water foot print. Researchers have also assessed the greenhouse gas emission of sheep meat production. Sheep carcass quality studies evaluated the effects of gender, production systems, body weight, age, hot and cold carcass. Sheep meat quality studies were majorly focused on the amino acid, fatty acid profiles, and sensory characteristics. Sheep meat flavor was thoroughly researched by a few investigators. The microbial profile of sheep carcass and meat indicated various microbial contaminants in the supply chain. Several antioxidants were used by researchers for improving the quality of meat and meat products. Antimicrobials such as metal oxides and essential oils were evaluated for effective sheep meat preservation. The heavy metal contaminants in sheep were also investigated by a few researchers. Different DNA and radioisotope methods have been explored for species and sex differentiation in sheep meat and meat products. The sheep meat products were assessed by researchers for various technological, nutritional, and sensory characteristics. The economic value of sheep meat by-products was calculated by researchers for their potential importance in the value chain. Parasitic meat borne diseases were found as the common zoonotic problem with sheep meat. The export potential of sheep meat and bottlenecks have also been studied by a few researchers. Overall, the broad dimensions of sheep meat research worldwide has a profound link with the economy of the nations.

The global economic crisis led to the tendency of consumers to search for cheap food sources of animal origin, including dry sausage, regardless of the quality or safety factor. Nitrite is an important meat additive responsible for the distinctive color and flavor of meat products, inhibits the development of microbial spores, and delays lipid oxidation. At the same time, it has adverse health risks for meat consumers. Celery, Apium graveolens, as a plant rich in nitrate was used in this study for replacing the synesthetic chemical nitrite used in sausage manufacture. Dry sausage samples were divided into three equal groups, the first group without adding sodium nitrite and kept as a control group. The second group was treated with 100 mg/kg of sodium nitrite while the third group was treated with 0.3% celery powder. All groups were periodically examined for sensory and chemical quality parameters. Generally, there are no significant differences (P>0.05) found between sausage groups attributes to appearance. The results of color, flavor, smell, nitrite content, TVN, and TBA of control sausage samples were statistically lower (P<0.05) than those of treated sausage groups. No differences (P>0.05) were found for the attribute color, flavor, smell, nitrite content, TVN, and TBA between those treated with 100 ppm sodium nitrite and 0.3% celery sausages groups. The obtained results concluded that safe dry sausage could be produced with high quality without the addition of synthetic sodium nitrite, by replacing it with 0.3% celery powder. Celery offers a high potential nitrite as natural substitutes improve both the sensory and chemical quality of the dry sausage. However, further research is needed to irrefutably determine all potential benefits content of the celery.