Microbial and physicochemical contamination situation in food at Bac Giang, period 2017-2023

This study was designed as a retrospective study. A total of 8,825 food samples (3,842 samples sent by customers, 328 inspection samples and 575 monitoring samples in the annual food safety program) were collected from 2017-2023 at Center for Disease Control (CDC) Bac Giang, including microbiological testing of 4,745 samples and physicochemical testing of 4,080 samples. Samples were analyzed for microbiology and physical chemistry according to Vietnamese Regulations and Vietnamese Standards, section 6.5 of Decision 46/2007/BYT. The results showed that the rate of unsatisfactory microbiological samples was 11.53% and the rate of unsatisfactory chemical tests was 0.64%. Among the microbiologically analyzed food sample groups, the highest infection rate was found in the vegetable and fruit group at 27.84%, the non-alcoholic beverage group at 11.83%, and the meat and meat products group at 7.03%. Among the physicochemical analysis food sample groups, the vegetable and fruit group still showed that the proportion of samples exceeding the allowed standard was 6.59%, followed by the meat and meat products group at 1.07%. The highest rate of microbiologically contaminated samples from monitoring samples is 21.91%, followed by inspection samples at 16.16% and samples sent by customers is 9.58%. The rate of physicochemical contaminated samples is 9.58%. The results showed that inspection samples had the highest contamination rate of 12.87%, samples sent from customers were 0.33%, and monitoring samples had no contamination in terms of physical and chemical indicators. Contaminants from the samples in this study showed outstanding: Coliforms was 9.65%, yeast - mold spores were 7.48%, E.coli was 6.99% and physicochemical agents: SO2 is 14.29% (ground galangal sample), NaHSO3 is 50% (soaked bamboo shoot sample).