Evaluation of Some Heavy Metals and Microbial Contamination in Some Imported Food Sauce

Canning, as a preservation technique, is extensively used to extend the shelf life and to maintain the quality of perishable foods. This study was conducted to assess the microbial contamination and give information about the concentration of the heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd) in canned sauce (Pasta sauce, basil sauce, Garlic sauce, Pizza sauce, Wing sauce, macaroni souse, mixed pickle, Mayonez, Tahin sauce, Pure Pomegranate syrup, Classical Sauce, Ketchup sauce, and Hot sauce) that collected from locally markets in Baghdad city during the period 1/9/2022 to 1/2/2023. The results indicated there was no bacterial contamination in all samples but there was a fungal contamination (mold and yeast) in (Pasta sauce, Garlic sauce, Mixed Pickle and Sesame sauce). Detection of investigated heavy metals including zinc, copper lead and cadmium, revealed the presence of Zinc and Copper in acceptable levels depending on the Iraqi standard specification, while Lead and Cadmium surpassed the permissible safe limits with concentration 0.25 ppm in Tahin sauce for Lead, and with concentrations 0.08, 0.07 and 0.11 ppm in canned Pesto basil sauce, Psti macaroni souse and Tahin sauce, respectively, for Cadmium