Specialists of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Krasnodar MVL" have analyzed the detection of falsification in meat products since the beginning of 2023

The problem of the quality of MEAT products entering the consumer market is relevant at all times. The manufacturer sometimes tries to hide the poor technological characteristics of raw materials, reduce the cost of products and increase its yield through various additives.

Manufacturers most often use carrageenan (E 407) as gelling agents, which contributes to the formation of a denser and more uniform mass of minced meat products. The group of carrageenans includes sulfated galactans obtained from various types of red algae.

Currently, refined and semi-purified carrageenans are produced and sold. In the production of carrageenans, it is customary to distinguish three types with different properties: kappa - gives a hard and brittle gel, iota - an elastic and elastic gel, lambda - an almost shapeless gel. In accordance with the specifics of the structure in the histological picture of a thin section, carrageenan fragments, when specially stained with hematoxylin and eosin, are stained in an extremely specific violet-lilac color, often with a blue or blue tint, in contrast to animal tissues and soy fragments, which are stained in red-pink tones.

Labeling of packaged food products must contain the full composition of food products in accordance with TR TS 022/2011 "Food products in terms of their labeling". In order to avoid unintentional falsification, the manufacturer must timely carry out the input control of all components used in the composition of the product.

Histological microstructural analysis allows in a short time to reliably identify and identify not only animal ingredients, but also plant components that make up meat products.