Abstract
The article presents the results of the assessment of heavy metal and radionuclide content in lamb depending on the type of thermal processing. The object of the study was lamb muscle tissue subjected to boiling, frying, and stewing under conditions typical for culinary practice. The concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), as well as radionuclides cesium-137 (Cs-137) and strontium-90 (Sr90), were determined using instrumental analytical methods after acid digestion and radiometric measurements. It was established that the initial content of toxic and radioactive elements in raw lamb did not exceed the maximum permissible concentrations regulated by sanitary and hygienic standards. The results showed that thermal processing significantly affects the redistribution and relative concentration of contaminants in the finished product. Boiling resulted in a pronounced decrease in heavy metal content (Pb by 58.6%, Cd by 56.7%, As by 18.2%) and radionuclide activity (Cs-137 by 69.8%, Sr-90 by 40.0%) due to their partial migration into the cooking broth. Frying led to a relative increase in the concentration of several elements, particularly Pb and Sr-90, as a result of moisture loss and product mass reduction, while stewing demonstrated intermediate effects. The obtained results confirm the necessity of considering the method of thermal processing when assessing lamb food safety and substantiate boiling as the most preferable method for minimizing toxic and radioactive element intake.