Elemental Composition of Muscle Tissue of Various Beef Breeds Reared Under Intensive Production Systems

Concentrations of major nutritional and trace elements (Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Se, Co, Cr, Ni, Sr, Ba) and toxic heavy metals (Cd, Pb) were analyzed in the meat of Limousin, Red Angus and Salers bulls. Elements were determined using inductively coupled plasma emission atomic spectrometry. The conducted research showed that the meat of compared breeds differed in the concentrations of Cu, Zn, Fe, Se and K. The meat from Limousin bulls had significantly lower Zn (P<0.001) and Cu (P 0.05) contents than that of Red Angus and Salers bulls. Moreover, the meat of Red Angus bulls was characterized by a significantly (P<0.001) lower K content and significantly (P<0.05) higher Fe content compared to those in the Limousin and Salers bulls as well as significantly (P<0.05) higher Se content in comparison with the Salers bulls. No breed differences in the concentrations of Pb and Cd were found; however, the Pb concentration in meat was higher than the recommended standards. In the meat of all three breeds, the significant strong positive correlations were observed between the contents of Pb-Cd, Pb-Ni, Cd-Ni and K-P. The correlations between other elements within each of the breeds separately were also found.