Investigating the use of unauthorized tissues in sausages and Persian sausages supplied in Mahshahr County
Subject Areas : Food HygieneHooman Yousefi 1 , Ebrahim rahimi 2
1 - DVM. Student, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
2 - Professor, Department of Food Hygiene, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord Branch, Shahrekord, Iran.
Keywords: Histology, Polymerase chain reaction, Adulteration, Sausage, Persian sausages (Kalbas), Mahshahr,
Abstract :
Meat and meat products are important dietary sources of protein, and their consumption has increased in recent years due to advances in modern production techniques. However, the high nutritional and economic value of meat also creates opportunities for adulteration and fraud. This study aimed to investigate the presence of unauthorized tissues in sausages and Persian sausages (Kalbas) sold in Mahshahr County. The study was conducted in the summer of 2024. A total of 50 samples—25 sausages and 25 Kalbas—were collected from local retail outlets and transported to the food hygiene laboratory for analysis. The samples were examined using histological and PCR methods to detect the presence of unauthorized tissues. The results revealed that 26 out of 50 samples contained unauthorized tissues. Of these, 20 were sausage samples (80%) and 6 were Kalbas samples (24%). In sausages, the most commonly detected unauthorized tissue was cartilage (36%), while in Kalbas, skin tissue was most prevalent (16%). The highest rates of adulteration were observed in sausages and hot dogs with lower declared meat content. Specifically, products with less than 61% meat content contained unauthorized tissues in 56% (sausages) and 8% (Kalbas) of samples, respectively. In contrast, those with more than 61% meat content showed unauthorized tissues in 24% (sausages) and 8% (Kalbas) of samples. These findings indicate a significant level of meat product adulteration in Mahshahr County. Therefore, regulatory authorities are urged to enforce stricter laws and monitoring procedures to address and prevent such violations.
