Rapid integrated assessment of food safety and nutrition related to pork consumption of regular consumers and mothers with young children in Vietnam

• Published in: Global food security Vol. 20; pp. 37 - 44
• Main Authors: Nguyen-Viet, Hung, Dang-Xuan, Sinh, Pham-Duc, Phuc, Roesel, Kristina, Huong, Nguyen Mai, Luu-Quoc, Toan, Van Hung, Pham, Thi Duong Nga, Nguyen, Lapar, Lucy, Unger, Fred, Häsler, Barbara, Grace, Delia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2019
• Subjects: Coliform concentration Vietnam; Consumer behaviours; Consumer perception; Pork; Pork quality; Coliform concentration Vietnam; Consumer behaviours; Pork quality; Pork; Consumer perception
• ISSN: 2211-9124; 2211-9124
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gfs.2018.12.003

Pork is the most common and widely consumed meat product in Vietnam. The study aimed to assess nutrition and food safety risks and opportunities associated with pork value chains in Vietnam. Twenty-nine focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted in Hung Yen and Nghe An provinces with 164 participants who were both regular pork consumers and mothers with young children. In each province, three districts were selected, and in each district we selected one commune. To assess the quality of pork, we took 30 swab samples of pig carcasses at slaughterhouses, 90 pork samples at slaughterhouses and markets and analysed all samples for total bacterial count (TBC), coliforms, water holding capacity and pH. The results showed that pork was the main livestock product consumed and women are responsible for buying and preparing food for daily meals. Pork was the main animal sourced food (ASF) for Vietnamese consumers, for 50–60% of ASF. There was little knowledge of zoonotic diseases. The findings suggest further studies to address consumers’ concern on chemical contamination. Most market pork samples were not within the allowable range of limits standards of Vietnam for bacterial contamination: 90% of samples were above the official permissible limit for TBC and 98% did not meet standards for coliforms. Fifty percent of samples had acceptable pH but only 5% had acceptable water holding capacity. There were no significant differences in pork quality between intensifying Hung Yen and traditional Nghe An provinces, although there was a tendency for samples from Hung Yen to have better compliance. This rapid assessment revealed considerable interest and knowledge on pork nutrition and safety and found some behavioural but few quality and safety differences between traditional and intensifying systems. This indicated marketed pork is of low quality and safety, and a lack of support to consumers in making good choices. •In Vietnam, pork is bought mainly from informal markets, quickly prepared and cooked. Most pork samples did not meet microbiolgical standards, but consumers’ main concerns were related to chemical hazards and eating meat from sick pigs.•Pork is valued as a nutritious food and care is taken when preparing food for infants. Consumers rely on trust and organoleptic characteristics to assure pork safety.•Raw pork is rarely eaten except for fermented pork (“nem chua” in Vietnamese), and sometimes raw pudding blood (“tiết canh” in Vietnamese): these are potentially risky especially given low knowledge of zoonotic diseases.•Opportunities for leveraging value chains for food safety and nutrition include: tackling coliform contamination at slaughterhouse and bacterial contamination at retail; better informing consumers on pork safety risks and how to avoid them; targeting information to most risky practices; and, more animal welfare friendly slaughter of pigs.