Chemical Preservatives and Microbiological Contamination of Some Locally Processed Meat Products

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the levels of nitrate and nitrite in various available meat products (luncheon, frankfurter, hot dog, corned beef, smoked beef, salami, and pastrami) obtained from local markets in Sohag Governorate, Egypt, as well as their relationship to the levels of N-nitrosamines in those products. A total of 18 random samples of the 7 meat products were collected from Sohag Governorate's supermarkets. The result indicated that the average nitrate levels (ppm) in the tested meat products ranged from 4.54 to 163.63ppm, while the average of nitrite levels (ppm) in the all tested meat products ranged from 63.37 to 125.06 ppm. N-nitrosamine content (ppm) in the same products were ranged from 0.41 to 3.73 ppm, but it was not detected in salami. Total bacterial count in all tested meat products ranged from 6.066 to 8.232 Log cfu/g. The E. coli count in all tested meat products ranged from 2.617 to 3.642 Log cfu/g, and it was not detected in smoked beef. Staph. aureus was found in all of the tested meat products, with count ranging from 4.405 to 4.886 Log cfu/g. Clostridium botulinum and Salmonella were not detected in all tested meat samples.