BACKGROUND: Regarding the economic values of meat, adulteration in meat products is probable. OBJECTIVES: This study was carried out to evaluate the histological method for the quantitative detection of meat in Kabab Loghme and cooked sausage model. METHODS: Five Kabab samples (containing 70 % meat) and cooked sausage (30, 50, 70 and 90% meat), were prepared. Then, each sample was divided into three parts and one piece was taken from each part and fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin. The samples were routinely processed for light microscopy and embedded in paraffin. The paraffin-embedded blocks were cut into 6 μm sections and stained using hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) for histological study. RESULTS: The histometrical analysis indicated that the estimated percentages for the added meat in kabab did not show significant difference with the real related percentages. On the other hand, the amount of meat was difficult to estimate especially in cooked sausage. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present research suggest the histological technique as a complementary method for quantitative evaluations of meat in raw meat products. However, the quantitative evaluation of meat in raw meat products was more convenient than in processed ones.

The quality assurance of meat products is very important for human health protection. In this study, 50 samples from burger, kofta, and sausage were examined histologically for the detection of adulteration. Histological sections from the three meat products were stained with hematoxylin and eosin stain. Adulteration by unauthorized plant and animal tissues was detected microscopically. The results revealed that burger was adulterated with lung, heart, connective tissue, smooth muscles, cartilage, and plant tissues. Burger samples showed parasitic infection with sarcocystis within skeletal muscles. Kofta was adulterated with lung, connective tissue, smooth muscles, cartilage, blood vessels, and plant tissues. Sausage was adulterated with intestine, connective tissue, smooth muscles, cartilage, blood vessels, fat, and plant tissue. This study confirms the availability of histological examination in detecting adulteration of meat products and parasitic infection.