Toxicological issues associated with production and processing of meat

•Most important chronic toxic effects of meat contaminants and mechanisms reviewed•Compendious of the toxic responses and biochemical mechanisms•Possible “low-dose” effects of endocrine disrupters highlighted•Discussion of cytotoxicity of the primary oxidation products of PUFAs•New paradigm of the nitrite ion effects discussed

Meat is a very complex and continuously changing ex vivo system of various high- and low-molecular substances that can be used for satisfying needs of the human organism for metabolic energy, building material and fulfilling of the other vital functions. A great majority of these substances are useful and safe for the consumer. Yet, meat and meat products may always contain substances exerting detrimental effects to the consumer's organism. The present paper is a literature review of the most important potentially toxic substances found in meat and meat products; their classification, ways of getting into the meat or formation during meat processing, undesirable physiological outcomes and biochemical mechanisms of their toxic effects, and methods for reduction of these responses.