Background: Lead and zinc are heavy metals of concern due to their potential adverse health effects. Human exposure through the consumption of contaminated food products has increasingly raised public health concerns. This study, conducted in ۲۰۲۵, aimed to assess the concentrations of lead and zinc in various types of sausages available in the Iranian market, considering different commercial brands and meat contents. Methods: A total of ۹۹ sausage samples were collected from retail outlets across Iran, representing ۱۱ popular brands with varying meat percentages. Lead and zinc concentrations were determined using acid digestion followed by Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) values were ۰.۰۷ mg/kg and ۰.۲۴ mg/kg for lead, and ۰.۰۰۰۸ mg/kg and ۰.۰۰۲۷ mg/kg for zinc, respectively. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess significant differences in mean heavy metal concentrations among brands and meat content categories. Results: The mean concentrations of lead and zinc in the analyzed samples were ۲۸.۳۹ ± ۱۹.۰۰ µg/kg and ۱۱.۶۹ ± ۵.۰۴ mg/kg, respectively. Lead concentrations ranged from ۰.۱۰ µg/kg to ۸۱.۸۵ µg/kg, while zinc concentrations varied from ۰.۰۱ mg/kg to ۲۵.۱۱ mg/kg. Zinc levels increased significantly in sausages containing ۸۰% meat or more, whereas lead levels showed no significant variation with meat percentage (p > ۰.۰۵). Conclusion: According to Codex Alimentarius (CXS ۱۹۳-۱۹۹۵), all analyzed samples contained lead and zinc levels below the maximum permissible limits (۱۰۰ µg/kg and ۵۰ mg/kg, respectively). These findings provide useful information on the safety and quality of sausage products in the Iranian market and may contribute to improved food safety monitoring and public health protection.

کلیدواژه ها:

Food safety ، Heavy metals ، Meat products ، Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry ، Iran