This pilot study evaluates risks of pork meat to consumers in the Ha Noi region of Vietnam. Diagnostic testing found substantial levels of bacterial contamination, parasites, and antibiotic residues in pork meat and feces samples. Contamination levels were highest at slaughterhouses where hygienic practices were poor. While supermarkets had more contaminated meat than rural markets, consumers' food handling practices reduced risks. High contamination occurred along the supply chain due to lack of refrigeration. However, reported gastrointestinal illness in consumers was not correlated with pork consumption, possibly due to safe food handling. Further research is needed to understand and control risks in Vietnam's transforming pork supply chains.

1. Risk assessment in the pork meat
chain in 2 districts of Vietnam
a Residency Training Project
in collaboration with the International Livestock Research Institute
1 2 3 2 2
Fahrion A. , Nguyen Ngoc T. , Do Ngoc T. , Lapar L. , Grace D.
1 2
Veterinary Public Health Institute, University of Berne, Switzerland ILRI International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya Ha Tay
3
National Institute for Veterinary Research, Ha Noi, Vietnam Ha Noi (city)
Summary of the survey
This pilot study evaluates risks of pork meat to consumers in the Ha Noi region, Northern Vietnam.
The risk assessment approach along the pork value chain implies the survey of
1. Hazards present in pork meat and conditions of pork marketing in rural and urban settings
2. Risk reducing/enhancing practices and risk awareness of the chain actors
Introduction Material and methods
Pork occupies a dominant role in Vietnam‘s
meat production and consumption which
Pathway approach  from stable to table
increases with economic growth. Modern, Production level Tools used for risk assessment
large scale marketing structures are A. Farm Producer observation check list (n=18)
upcoming in urban areas but even there, Participatory Risk Appraisal (PRA) (n=3)
most people still buy and sell meat in
B. Slaughter, Slaughter check list & questionnaire
informal „wet“ markets where there is little
Transport (n=7) Diagnostic tests
safety and quality regulation. As part of a Transporter check list (a) Rapid diagnostic testing
ILRI project on smallholder pig production A total of 16 chosen bacterial and parasitological
C. Butcher Butcher check list & questionnaire (n=37)
competitiveness, we carried out a indicator and zoonotic hazards as well as
Diagnostic tests
comparative risk assessment in Ha Noi (b) antibiotic residues were investigated in
(urban) and Ha Tay (semiurban – rural) D. Consumer Consumer questionnaire (n=153) (a) Fecal and blood samples taken at slaughter
districts, northern Vietnam, aiming to identify level (n=110)
and characterize hazards present in (b) Meat samples taken at butcher level (n=100)
representative pork meat chains. Figure 1: Levels and pathways of the pork meat value chains and tools used
Results Discussion
Which hazards are present and to which level? Are modern marketing strategies safer? Figure 2
As visible in table 1, diagnostic testing revealed
Supermarket Wet Market Hanoi Village Market
Indicator Present Unaccept
able*
100% substantial levels of hazards in pork meat, serum
Total aerobic bacteria 100% 55% and faeces. Especially indicators of fecal
% Unacceptable
Enterobacteriaceae 86% 60% contamination were present to unacceptably high
E. Coli O157 In 19/21 pooled samples levels. We found hints that the risk of
50%
Staphylococcus aureus 41% 25% contamination might be highest in abattoirs,
Listeria monocytogenes 24% n.d.
where hygienic practices were very poor and
Flukes 8% n.d.
neither disinfection nor cooling of pork were
Ascarids 8% n.d. 0%
Antibiotic residues 9% 9% Total aerobic Enterobacteriaceae Staph. aureus observed. The lack of an integrated refrigeration
bacteria
Table 1 *exceeding intern. threshold values; n.d.: not defined system along the whole chain might also explain
Is pork consumption related to gastro intestinal the higher contamination of meat samples from
disease (GID) in consumers? supermarkets (Fig.2), as meat is kept for sale
 GID is a good indicator of food borne disease during days from arrival here. In contrast, at wet
• No correlation between reporting of GID by consumers markets meat is most frequently (81%) sold the
(average: 0.96 episodes/pers/year) and amount of consumed same day. Additionally, consumers show a
pork meat (p>0.05) distinct risk perception. Even if we identified
• High risk perception: 43% have concerns about pork meat important hazards to reach consumers,their good
• 96% cook their meat within 3 hours of purchase handling of meat may reduce risks considerably,
• 99% wash hands while handling meat which is supported by a comparably low number
Conclusion of GID episodes per year. Further research
 Most of contamination might occur on slaughter level; supermarkets are no guarantee for safer meat; but end consumer’s efforts are necessary to better understand and
good handling practices considerably reduce risks at the end of the chain control the risks from animal source food in the
 High levels of hazards but lower levels of risk to the surveyed consumers of pork meat rapidly transforming Vietnamese supply chains.
Acknowledgements: We kindly thank the staff of ILRI Hanoi office, especially Huyen Nguyen Ngoc and Vinh Nguyen
Thanh, and the microbiology and parasitology unit of NIVR, Hanoi, for their support and work for the study. ILRI
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