Is it harmful to eat 'buried pork' buried underground for 2-3 years?

Recently, people have been sharing the dish "earth-buried pork", which is a piece of raw meat marinated, then buried underground for 2-3 years before being taken out to use. Is this way of eating harmful to health?

In ancient times, when life was difficult and there was no means of long-term food storage, people found their own solutions to preserve meat during cold winter days or days without food. For example, pork was marinated and then hung in the kitchen, which could be preserved for up to 5-7 years; or the natives and nomads killed animals, roasted them, then marinated and preserved them in their own way, which could be kept for years.

The underground pork dish is not sold in restaurants but only appears in some localities. (Illustration photo).

The dish of buried pork, which is a piece of raw meat marinated and then buried underground for about 2-3 years before being brought up for consumption, is not a popular way of eating, and is not sold in restaurants but only appears in some localities . In principle, when meat is buried underground, the temperature is low, adding additives slows down the decomposition process, allowing the meat to be preserved longer.

The problem is that we cannot know the exact process, how it is processed , nor do we have any scientific conclusions about the transformation of meat. Not to mention, there are no statistics or incidents when eating this dish, so it is difficult to say whether it is good or bad.

Currently, some local people eat this product normally as a daily dish, and no harm to health has been recorded, so there is no basis for a conclusion.

However, in reality, many fermented foods such as meat and fish put in sealed glass or plastic containers, taken out to eat after a period of time, can create a favorable environment for the growth of C.botulium bacteria . This is an anaerobic bacteria that grows and develops in a closed environment and can produce extremely dangerous botulinum toxin.

Pickling or fermenting raw foods is a processing habit of many Vietnamese people, from meat, fish to vegetables, tubers, and fruits. However, unsanitary processing procedures; food contaminated from the root ; contaminated containers, bottles, and jars; or unsterilized hands. are all risk factors.

Therefore , the best advice is that everyone needs to strictly adhere to the principle of eating cooked food and drinking boiled water. Food needs to be cooked, ensuring safe hygiene procedures, and should not consume food of unknown origin. In addition, do not eat food that is undercooked, pink, or has a strange smell, or is stored in bent, rusty, or corroded containers with bulging lids.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh
, Institute of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Hanoi University of Science and Technology