Vietnam announces standards for chilled pork to control quality.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has published the national standard TCVN 12429:2018 on chilled pork.

According to regulations, pork carcasses, whether whole or halved, must be refrigerated immediately after slaughter to ensure that the core temperature of the thickest part of the meat reaches 0-4 degrees Celsius within no more than 24 hours after slaughter.

According to Mr. Tong Xuan Chinh, Deputy Director of the Department of Animal Husbandry, this standard ensures consumers will have access to high-quality, safe meat products. Proper preservation at the correct temperature immediately after slaughter inhibits the growth of microorganisms, enhancing the nutritional value and sensory qualities of the meat.

Applying standards with a rapid cooling, cold, and clean process to avoid microbial contamination and maintain freshness and quality requires 7-15 days.

When pigs are slaughtered, processed, and cooled according to proper procedures, surface water loss is reduced, preventing weight loss.

For businesses applying this standard, Mr. Chinh advises that they should label their goods so that consumers can distinguish them from conventionally slaughtered products, thereby increasing the product's value.

According to Mr. Nguyen Nhu Tiep, Director of the Department of Quality Management of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the pig farming industry currently accounts for approximately 60% of the value of Vietnam's livestock industry. Pork currently accounts for the highest proportion (nearly 70%) compared to other types of meat in consumers' daily meals.

Vietnam is also one of the few countries that still uses warm meat immediately after slaughter. This meat suffers from reduced quality due to the uncontrolled activity of microorganisms and enzymes, and it is very difficult to control its hygiene and safety.

Many test samples showed microbiological indicators such as E. coli contamination exceeding permissible levels, and Salmonella (the bacteria that causes typhoid fever) contamination remaining at high levels. This is due to the fact that the slaughtering, preservation, and display processes have not yet implemented a cold chain.

Applying standards with a rapid cooling, cold, and clean process to avoid microbial contamination and maintain freshness and quality requires 7-15 days.

According to representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, standards for buffalo, beef, horse, chicken, duck, and goose meat will continue to be developed in the next phase.

Standard TCVN 12429:2018 was compiled by the Department of Quality Management of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Products, proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and appraised by the General Department of Standards, Metrology and Quality, Ministry of Science and Technology.