Determination of Adulteration and Authenticity of Meat and Meat Products Using Chemical Properties and PCR Technique in Tabriz

Background & objectives: Nowadays, consumers are demanding more accurate and clear food information than ever before, and meat products are no exception. Given the relatively high cost of raw meat, the possibility of adulteration is not unthinkable. The importance of detecting fraud meat products is due to the inclusion of other types of meat or cheap carcass components or the non-compliance of the ingredients listed in the product label. It is important to identify frauds in meat products for economic, security, religious and health reasons, so institutions concerned with the quality and health of food products must monitor this issue in various and precise ways. Methods: In this study, chemical properties (fat, protein, carbohydrate, ash and moisture contents) of 58 samples of meat products offered in Tabriz were evaluated by the methods mentioned in the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran. Also, the meat authenticity of 47 samples of raw meat and red meat products in terms of mixing meat or other parts of chicken carcass with them was investigated using PCR technique. Results: The results showed that 41.38% of the tested samples had values ​​contrary to the permissible limits set by the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran. Also, cases of fraud in the samples through mixing poultry meat in the samples were found whether in standardized products such as processed and semi-processed products or in raw meat samples, so that overall, 87.23% of the obtained samples were not confirmed for product authenticity. Conclusions: This study showed that fraud and incorrect information on the label of red meat products in terms of poultry meat adulteration in them in Tabriz city is very high and this fact further reveals the need for accurate, continuous and regular monitoring of health institutions on this high-consumption food product.