This study aims to assess the quality of imported canned meat in Sulaimani markets and their
safety for human consumption, by determination the change of chemical composition,
chemical, physical, and microbial indicator for some canned meat (tuna, cornado, and
luncheon) stored at different temperatures for different periods.
A total number of 162 samples of canned meat were collected from Sulaimani city markets.
The samples consisted of canned tuna fish (56 samples) produced by Iran, canned chicken
luncheon (56) produced by Turkey, and canned beef cornado (56 samples) products in the
United Arab Emirates.
Chemical composition was determined and used a variety of indicators (moisture, protein,
ether extract, and ash), chemical indicator (total violet basic nitrogen, free fat acid, and
thiobarbutric acid), physical indicators (pH, water holding capacity, and cooking loss), and
microbial indicators (coliform count, staphylococcus count, aerobic sporforming count, and
anerobic sporforming count) traits in canned meat (tuna, luncheon, and cornado) stored at 3
different storage temperature (5, 15, and 25 ˚C) for 120 days, and comparing them with the
acceptable limits for each trait. All tests were made in the post-graduate laboratories of the
Animal Sciences Department, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of
Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, from November 2020 to the end of February 2021 (4
months).
Results can be summarized as follows:
1- Chemical composition (moisture, protein, and ash) of canned meat (tuna, cornado, and
luncheon); there was a significant decrease (P≤0.05) in all types of canned meat during
storage, while the fat percentage significantly increase (P≤0.05) after a storage period.
2- Physical indicators of canned meat for fish, chicken, and beef for 120 days stored at 5, 15,
and 25 °C, respectively showed an increased pH value and cooking loss with a decreased
water holding capacity. The pH value increased in tuna, luncheon, and cornado after 120 days
of storage, as well as the highest cooking loss percentage in tuna, luncheon, and cornado after
120 days were (31.42, 25.20, and 51.92 %) respectively when the canned meat stored at 25˚C.
Also, the lowest water holding capacity percentage in tuna, luncheon, and cornado after 120
days were (25.59, 13.88, and18.25) respectively when the canned meat stored at 5, and 15˚C.
ii
3- Chemical indicators; the highest thiobarbutric acid (TBA) value in tuna, luncheon, and
cornado after 120 days were (2.30, 1.97, and 2.17 mg MDA/ kg meat) respectively when the
canned meat stored at 25˚C, also, the highest total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) value in
tuna, luncheon, and cornado after 120 days were (19.86, 16.01, and18.24 mg N/100 gm meat)
respectively when the canned meat stored at 25˚C. On the other hand, the highest free fatty
acid (FFA) percentage in tuna, luncheon, and cornado after 120 days were (2.58, 0.96, and
1.18 %) respectively when the canned meat stored at 25˚C. The values of chemical indicators
within the standard limitsare were acceptable according to The Iraqi Central Organization for
Standardization and Quality Control.
4- The results of the microbial indicators of the three canned meat (tuna, cornado, and
luncheon) stored at different temperatures for 120 days showed that the presence of aerobic
spore-forming bacteria, anaerobic spore-forming bacteria, coliform and staphylococus
bacteria in the tested samples did not observe.
5- The results of an examination of canned meat; all types of canned meat are safe and has not
find any detrimental form from external can condition, internal can condition, micro-leak test,
product odor, solid product, pigment, and texture).