Elemental and toxicological characterization of maral meat by ICP-MS: compliance with food safety standards

Concentrations of trace elements (Al, Fe, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Na, Zn) and toxic substances (Cd, Co, Pb, Sr, Cr) were determined in the meat of maral (red deer) extracted in the East Kazakhstan region using the mass spectrometry method with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS). The average values for these elements in maral meat were: 36.58 mg/kg for aluminum, 38.39 mg/kg for iron, 3045.3 mg/kg for potassium, 77.28 mg/kg for calcium, 224.07 mg/kg for magnesium, 1.4 mg/kg for copper, 217.94 mg/kg for sodium and 30.04 mg/kg for zinc. The content of toxic elements in maral meat was also compared with similar indicators in other types of meat, such as beef, mutton, horse meat and chicken. The results of the analysis showed that the concentration of lead (Pb) in maral meat turned out to be one of the lowest — only 0.008 mg/kg. At the same time, the content of strontium (Sr) — 1.07 mg/kg and chromium (Cr) — 3.08 mg/kg in maral meat was higher than in other meat products. Nevertheless, the levels of Pb, Cd and Cr in maral meat did not exceed the established norms and were within acceptable values, according to the Technical Regulation of the Customs Union TR CU No. 034/2013, Commission Regulation (EC) No. 466/2001 and the recommendations of the US FDA on substances in contact with food.