The non-human glycan, N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), is not expressed in all organs and skeletal muscles of nine animal species

•Neu5Gc in skeletal muscle was highest in goat, but absent in kangaroo and dog.•Neu5Gc in organ meat was ~2–54% higher than muscle; >75% was in the conjugated form.•Bovine organs contained more Neu5Gc, but it was absent in female deer organs.•Nine commercial primal meat cuts in sheep contained similar levels of Neu5Gc.•Our study provides guidelines which meats to avoid sustaining a healthy diet. Red meat-derived sialic acid (Sia), N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), promotes the risk of carcinoma and inflammation. Expression in skeletal muscle and organs across animal species remains unknown. We measured Neu5Gc in skeletal muscle and organ tissues from nine species using UHPLC and found that: (1) neu5Gc concentration in skeletal muscle was highest in goats (166 ± 48.7 µg/g protein), followed by cattle, pig, sheep, horse, cat and deer: >75% was conjugated. No Neu5Gc was detected in kangaroo and dog muscles; (2) total Neu5Gc in organ meats was generally about 2–54% higher than in muscle. Surprisingly Neu5Gc was absent in seven organs of female deer; (3) nine commercial ovine meat cuts contained similar Neu5Gc levels. Thus, red meat Neu5Gc concentration is tissue and species-specific and absent in muscle and organ tissue of some species. Our study provides guidelines for animal meat preferences for consumers and sheds light on the functionality of Neu5Gc.