Possibility of use of bovine and pigs' liver and kidneys in human nutrition | Mogućnost korišćenja jetre i bubrega goveda i svinja u ishrani ljudi

The aim of this paper was to investigate the content of toxic elements and veterinary drug residues in liver and kidney and to assess the possibilities of their use in manufacture of meat products, i.e. in nutrition of human. Toxic elements are determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and the content of veterinary drugs residues is measured by using chromatographic techniques, five-plate test and immunoenzyme methods. Mercury content in five bovine kidney samples (71.43%) ranged from 0.003 to 0.019 mg/kg, while in two samples it was below the detection limit of method (0.003 mg/kg). In kidneys of pig, mercury content was below the detection limit (0.003 mg/kg) in 7 samples (63.64%). In the remaining samples, the values were in the range of 0.003-0,019 mg/kg. Cadmium content was below detection limit in only 2 samples of bovine kidneys (28.57%), while in the other samples the values were between 0.069 and 0.157 mg/kg. Kidneys of pig contained cadmium from 0.051 to 0.295 mg/kg in 90.91% of samples. In two samples, cadmium content was below detection limit. Lead content was 0.121 and 0.157 mg/kg in two samples of bovine kidneys and 0.091 and 0.289 mg/kg in two samples of kidneys of pig. In 71.43% of bovine kidneys and 81.81% of kidneys of pig lead content was below detection limit. Arsenic was not found in any of the examined bovine and pig kidneys (all values were below detection limit of the method). Mercury content in two bovine liver samples (33.3%) was 0.003 and 0.004 mg/kg, while cadmium content was 0.038 and 0.085 mg/kg. Lead was found in three liver samples (0.045-0.266 mg/kg). In the remaining liver samples, content of mercury, cadmium and lead was below the detection limit of applied analytical method. In all of the samples of liver of pig mercury and arsenic were not detected, as well as cadmium in one sample (11.1%) and lead in five samples (55.5%). Eight liver samples contained cadmium in range of 0.014 to 0.096 mg/kg, and in four samples (44.4%) lead content was in the range from 0.023 to 0.172 mg/kg. Veterinary drugs residues were not found in bovine and porcine liver and kidneys, i.e. all measured values below the detection limit of applied analytical methods. It can be concluded that the usage of liver and kidneys in manufacturing the meat products is safe and does not pose any risk for consumers. Considering the obtained results, the reasons for using these organs in production of meat products should be their chemical composition, nutritive value and their functional and technological properties.