Histological and microbial analysis of different types of raw meat products in Tehran, Iran

Meat products are essential protein sources and play a significant role in human nutrition and overall health. however, unauthorized tissues in meat products can compromise their quality and safety. this study investigated the microbial and histological features of various minced meat products in tehran province, iran. a total of 200 samples were collected, including 50 samples of red meat kabab koobideh paste (rm), 50 of chicken meat kabab koobideh paste (cm), 40 of minced meat (mm), 30 of industrial hamburgers (ih), and 30 of homemade hamburgers (hh). the samples were analyzed for their histological composition and microbial counts (total bacterial count, staphylococcus aureus, and mold and yeast counts). the most common unauthorized tissues found in the samples were adipose tissue (66.0%), smooth muscle tissue (46.5%), and herbal tissue (41.0%). the highest levels of unauthorized tissues were observed in the cm (n=198) and rm (n=129) groups, while the lowest levels were observed in the mm group (n=14). the total bacterial count (tbc) was highest in the rm group (7.69±0.46 log cfu/g), followed by the cm group (6.96±0.54 log cfu/g). the highest counts of s. aureus were observed in the cm group (4.84±0.23 log cfu/g), followed by the rm group (4.78±0.24 log cfu/g). the most elevated mold and yeast counts were observed in the hh group (4.58±0.34 log cfu/g), followed by the rm group (4.56±0.32 log cfu/g) and the cm group (4.50±0.45 log cfu/g). a significant correlation was observed between unauthorized tissues and bacterial contamination (p<0.05). this suggests that using unauthorized tissues in meat products can increase the risk of bacterial contamination. the findings of this study highlight the importance of avoiding the use of unauthorized tissues, especially those derived from the digestive tract, in meat products.