Incidence of Illegal Substitution of Beef With Inferior-Quality Animal Species Meats Sold in Kerbala

Abstract

A surveillance study was conducted to determine the rates of mixing beef illegally with other selected animal species meats of inferior quality in Kerbala Governorate. Over an 8-month period ( September 2012 to May 2013), a total of 120 samples of meat products viz., 40 local minced meats, 40 local beef burger and 40 imported beef burger were purchased from Kerbala city and analyzed by Agar Gel Immuno-Diffusion test ( AGID) for detecting substitution of undesirable meat species. Meat extracts from camel, chicken and donkey were prepared. Rabbits were injected with meat extracts for preparation of hyper-immune sera, whereas, blood was collected to get the specific anti-sera. Positive result was recorded when precipitation line observed between the antibody and the corresponding meat extract. The incidence of adulteration was detected in 6 (5%) samples with camel meat and 23 ( 19.16%) samples with chicken meat, while none of the samples was found adulterated with donkey meat .Camel meat found in 4 (10%), 2 ( 5%) and 0 ( 0%) of local minced meat, local beef burger and imported beef burger respectively. However, chicken meat detected in 8 (20%), 10 (25%) and 5 ( 12.5%) of local minced meat, local beef burger and imported beef burger respectively.It was concluded that substitution of meat products, in which inferior quality meat is mixed into beef, has been existed in Kerbala Governorate.