Biological Hazards and Indicators Found in Products of Animal Origin in Cambodia from 2000 to 2022: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Biological hazards in products of animal origin pose a significant threat to human health. In Cambodia, there are few comprehensive data and information on the causes of foodborne diseases or risks. To date, there has been no known published study similar to this review. This systematic review is aimed to investigate the prevalence of biological hazards and their indicators in products of animal origin from 2000 to 2022. The main objective of this study was also to contribute to strengthening Cambodia's food control system. This review followed the established "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses" (PRISMA) guidelines. In total, 46 studies were retained for complete review. Most studies (n = 40) had been conducted by or with external researchers, reflecting the under-resourcing of the National Food Control System in terms of surveillance; areas outside the capital were relatively understudied, reflecting evidence found in Ethiopia and Burkina Faso. Five categories of hazards were reported with the highest number of studies on fish parasites. Marketed fish, often originating from different countries, had a higher mean value of parasite prevalence (58.85%) than wild-caught fish (16.46%). Viral pathogens in bat meat presented a potential spillover risk. Many potentially important hazards had not yet been studied or reported (e.g., Norovirus, Shigella, toxin-producing Escherichia coli, and Vibrio cholerae). The findings of our review highlighted significant urgencies for national competent authorities to enhance food hygiene practices along the production chain, tackle import control, and enforce the implementation of a traceability system, alongside more research collaboration with neighboring countries and key trading partners. It is crucial to conduct more extensive research on food safety risk analysis, focusing on the identification and understanding of various biological hazards and their associated risk factors in food.

Keywords: Cambodia; biological hazards and hazard indicators; food control system; products of animal origin; systematic review.

Figure 1

PRISMA flowchart showing identification, screening, and inclusion of eligible articles reporting foodborne biological hazards in animals and POAOs in Cambodia from 2000 to 2022.

Figure 2

Evidence of frequency of research for food biological hazards in animals and POAOs conducted by national initiatives, joint initiatives, and international institutions in Cambodia (2000 to 2022).

Figure 3

Evidence of frequency of studies identified for different types of biological hazards in animals and POAOs in Cambodia from 2000 to 2022.

Figure 4

Number of publications of biological hazards in animals and POAOs in Cambodia for different intervals from 2000 to 2022.

Figure 5

Number of studies included in the systematic review in each province in Cambodia from 2000 to 2022 (the map of Cambodia with provinces was downloaded from Vemaps.com (accessed on 17 December 2023).

Figure 6

Evidence of the prevalence of different types of parasites in fish and fishery products.

Figure 7

Evidence of parasite prevalence in fish and fishery products taken from three different points of sampling showing the significant difference between “nature” (a) and “market” (b).