Abstract
Meat and meat products are good sources of nutrients and play an essential role in consumer health. Therefore, meat safety is one of the main concerns for humans today. Consumers around the world might be exposed to harmful materials due to ingesting contaminated meat products. The present investigation compared three analytical methods for the determination of pesticides 2,4-D (2,4-1) dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene/dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, alachlor, and organophosphates) residues in 145 beef, sheep, goat, chicken and turkey species meat samples (fresh, frozen meats, meatball, mortadella, and sausage samples) of local, regional, and international brands available in Omani markets. The results revealed that the selected meat samples contained small levels (below the maximum allowed) of residuals of different types of pesticides. However, the trace of pesticides detected in meat samples may have adverse effects on human health. The results of this study can be used by the authorized government agencies for routine checks for the safety of meat products in the local market.