Quality Assessment of the Imported Canned Beef Sold in Sulaimani Markets

The aimed of this study is to assess the quality of imported four brands of corned beef including Bordon, Lordoon, King Beef and Exeter using different quality standard inspection tests; these are, determination the chemical compositions of moisture, protein, fat, ash, energy and as well as studying the changes in the organoleptic characters represented by measuring peroxide value, free fatty acids, thiobarbituric acid and total volatile nitrogen were carried out. The microbiological investigations involved examination of total bacteriological count, coliform bacteria, proteolytic, lipolytic and sporoforming bacteria (anaerobic) also were tested. In addition, sensory attributes were measured. Chemical analyses indicated that Lordoon trademark of canned meat had the highest percentage of moisture 64.79% compared to the lowest percentages of Exeter trademark 57.66% and high protein contents were in Bordon and king beef trademarks, while lower contents were in Lordoon trademark. Bordon, Lordoon and King Beef trademarks contained low percentage of lipid, while Exeter trademark contained a high percentage of lipids. Lordoon and King Beef appeared to have higher contents of ash as compared to other trademarks. And the total volatile nitrogen values for the all trademarks were non-significant. The highest free fatty acids ( FFA) observed in the King Beef (0.07 %). Also P.V. and TBA values were through the allowance limits for all trademarks. Microbial tests indicated anaerobic bacterial counts which were between the allowances limits and there were no aerobic bacteria in any of these trademarks. Non-significant differences in the sensory properties among the four trademarks observed, while significant differences in the overall acceptability of the four trademarks.