EVALUATION OF HYGIENE AND SAFETY STATUS OF NEM CHUA PRODUCTION IN HANOI
Abstract
Nem chua is a well-known Vietnamese traditional fermented meat product, which is nutritious and delicious with typical characteristics from each region where it is made. This food is mainly produced using traditional artisan method, with the main ingredient being raw pork. The safety of this product depends mostly on the fermentation process by the native lactic acid
bacteria in nem chua mixture. Therefore, this product implies hygienic and safety issues with inconsistent quality.
With the aim to identify the microbiological risks involved in nem chua production, three nem chuaproducers in Hanoi were selected for nvestigation. pH measurements and microbiological examinations at four critical points during processing were performed.
It was found that though the raw pork used for nem chuaproduction derived from freshly slaughtered pigs, it was still the most critical source for microbiological contamination in final nem chuaproduct due to its high load of contaminating icroorganisms, particularly S. aureus and E. coli. The processes of meat comminution, mixing and packaging before fermentation
could increase the contamination level, particularly regarding B. cereus. The natural lactic acid fermentation process resulted in limited reduction of pathogenic microorganisms with exception of C. perfringens.