Determination of the Content of Heavy Metals and Nitrites in Meat Products (Pâtés and Meat Spreads) from the Market of the Republic of Srpska

Animal-based food is significant for human nutrition, as it represents an easily digestible source of high-quality proteins, fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins, and energy. During evolution, humans developed anatomical, metabolic, and biochemical adaptations in the digestive tract, becoming increasingly dependent on nutritionally valuable food, such as animal-based products. Animal-based food can be a source of chemical substances that are harmful to health, such as contaminants (heavy metals, mycotoxins, organochlorine pesticides, etc.), veterinary drug residues, and additives. The subject of this paper is the determination of the content of essential (copper—Cu, iron—Fe, and chromium—Cr) and heavy and toxic metals (lead—Pb, cadmium—Cd, arsenic—As, and tin—Sn), as well as nitrites, in meat products, particularly pâtés and meat spreads available on the market in the Republic of Srpska. Determination of the content of metals was performed using the ICP-OES method, while nitrites were analyzed using the standard SRPS ISO 2918/1999 method. The obtained results indicate that the content of heavy and toxic metals and nitrites is lower than the maximum prescribed by national regulations, namely the Rulebook on Maximum Amounts of Certain Contaminants (Official Gazette of BA, No. 68/14, 79/16, 84/18) and the Rulebook on Additives in Food (Official Gazette of BA, No. 33/18 and 6/21).