| Summary: | Objectives: We investigated how the consumers’ practices of eating and handling
pork are related to food safety in Hung Yen and Nghe An provinces, Vietnam.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey with interview of 416 respondents and six focus
group discussions were conducted. Information on household diet, pork selection and
purchase, processing, consumption and knowledge regarding pig originated food
were analyzed.
Results: On average, consumers purchased 0.68 (0.2-2) kg of pork/time for 4 to 5
household members. The pork was purchased in the morning (7.45; 4.30-11.30 am)
and almost exclusively originated from open market (99%). The pork was kept for 1.5
(0-24) hours at room temperature (54.6%) or in the fridge (45.4%). To prepare raw
and cooked pork using the same knife (80.9%) and/or cutting board (75.1%) was
recorded. With an average 4 pork meals/week, the amount of pork consumed per
household member was 81 grams/meal. The knowledge of respondent on pork safety
was higher in Hung Yen than in Nghe An.
Conclusions: Findings are crucial for health risk exposure assessment related to
pork/pork products and more effective risk communication programs targeting
Vietnamese pork consumers.
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