Trace elements in Slovenian poultry tissues.

In this paper, the contamination of poultry tissues by trace elements in Slovenia is examined from a public health standpoint. During systematic veterinary and sanitary monitoring of foodstuffs of animal origin from 1997 to 1999, 21 poultry meat samples, 70 poultry liver tissue samples, and 184 poultry kidney tissue samples were examined for Pb, Cd, and Hg contents. The levels of poultry tissue contamination in six regions of Slovenia were determined. All samples met Slovenian standards except one poultry kidney tissue sample, which exceeded the Hg level allowed. The difference between chicken and turkey contamination levels was statistically significant (P < 0.05) only for Cd content in kidney tissues. Poultry kidney tissue Cd contents differed for different geographical regions (P < 0.05).