ASSESSMENT OF METALS LEVEL IN SEVERAL MEAT PRODUCTS OBTAINED THROUGH CONVENTIONAL AND TRADITIONAL METHODS

The aim of this study was to assess the content of several heavy metals from meat products (e.g. sausages, salami, neck, muscle, and ribs) obtained either by cold or hot smoking or pasteurization, considering that these metallic elements are toxicants for human health. Their toxicity depends on several factors including dose, route of preparation and type of meat. Because of their high degree of toxicity, if they are present in meat products, nine metals, including Cr, Pb, Cd, Co, Ni, Mn, Cu, Fe, and Zn, were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique of high precision and sensitivity. The first four elements are classified as human carcinogens according with the International Agency for Research of Cancer (IARC). In this research it was obtained a lower content of metals in smoked meat products (i.e. muscle, neck, ribs, pulp) and a higher metals content in product without structure (minced meat). The order of the elements in meat products and their concentration ranges in mg/kg d.w. was Fe (11.748-26.131) > Zn (4.282-11.586) > Mn (0.965-5.433) > Cu (1.987-4.154) > Cr (1.119-3.295) > Ni (1.115-2.170) > Pb (0.242-0.477) > Co (0.204-0.301) > Cd (0.091-0.095). Therefore, each metal which has well-established features and physicochemical properties present a specific toxicology within meat products, especially when their procedure of obtaining was not properly conducted.