Mass spectrometry-based proteomics has been gradually applied in the authentication of meat products, which can identify, detect and quantify specific biomarker proteins or peptides, providing an effective technical means for confirming the true attributes, contents and sources of species. This article briefly introduces the proteomics workflow, and gives a detailed overview of the extraction, identification, thermal stability and screening principle of species-specific peptides. Meanwhile, this article describes the application of proteomics in the detection and identification of animal-derived and non-meat protein components in meat products, and discusses prospects for future directions.