Determination of Heavy Metal Content in Imported and Local Red Meat in Northern Iraq (Erbil) Region

Red meat is one of the most important and highly demanded foods worldwide. This research investigates the levels of ten elements (Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb) in red meat samples from local sources and four countries. The elements evaluated are categorized into three major groups based on their concentration: macro elements (Fe, Zn, Pb), microelements (Hg, As, Cu, Ni), and trace elements (Mn, Cr, Cd). The results, reported in mg Kg-1, showed the following ranges: Fe: 0.113-0.118, Pb: 0.396-1.46, Zn: 1.573-4.689, Hg: 0.238-0.456, As: 1.687-1.886, Cu: 1.177-4.653, Ni: 0.012-3.078, Mn: 0.000-0.001, Cr: 0.000-0.003, Cd: 0.000-0.051. The findings indicate that heavy metal concentrations generally remained below established limits, with variability depending on the meat sample's origin.