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Review

Chemical Hazards in Products of Animal Origin in Cambodia from 2000 to 2023: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Medway ME4 4TB, UK
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International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
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Science Division, International College, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
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Fisheries Administration, Phnom Penh 120101, Cambodia
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United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Phnom Penh 120101, Cambodia
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Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Phnom Penh 120203, Cambodia
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Consumer Protection Competition and Freud Repression Directorate General, Phenom Penh 12125, Cambodia
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National Animal Health and Production Research Institute, General Directorate of Animal Health and Production, Phnom Penh 120603, Cambodia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(8), 1299; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081299
Submission received: 23 May 2025 / Revised: 8 August 2025 / Accepted: 11 August 2025 / Published: 19 August 2025

Abstract

Chemical hazards in food present a significant health risk. The objective of our review is to understand health risks associated with chemical contaminants in products of animal origin (POAO) in Cambodia, where there is no known published study. We followed the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses” (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 23 reports were included for review. The findings are presented according to the PRISMA guidelines. The studies mostly focused on fishery products, with arsenic and mercury being the most frequently studied hazards. The evidence of banned substances such as chloramphenicol and certain organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), including chlordane and Mirex, was reported in fish and meat. Additionally, mercury levels were measured in beef, pork, viscera, and eggs, but the average concentration remained significantly below the hazard index. The average concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in smoked fish exceeded the EU limits, ranging from 0.034 to 17.2 mg/kg, with an average mean concentration of 1.92 mg/kg. The pooled geometric means of arsenic and mercury in fish were 0.40 mg/kg (95% CI: 0.25–0.66) and ~0.14 mg/kg (95% CI: 0.087 to 0.223), respectively. The health risk of mercury contamination in fishery products needs the attention of the risk managers. However, industrial contaminants such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and butyl tin in marine fishes were lower than those reported elsewhere, such as Japan. We discuss the implications of the findings for human health and national food control systems (NFCS), the capacity of different agencies to undertake chemical risk assessment, the utility of systematic literature reviews (SLRs) for risk assessment and communication in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and the need for further research.
Keywords: food contamination; chemical hazards; animal products; systematic review; meta-analysis; risk assessment; Cambodia food contamination; chemical hazards; animal products; systematic review; meta-analysis; risk assessment; Cambodia

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MDPI and ACS Style

San, S.P.; Nicolaides, L.; Grace, D.; Charaslertrangsi, T.; Chamnan, C.; Thombathu, S.S.; Thorng, R.; Kong, L.; Noeurn, S.; Fidero, K.; et al. Chemical Hazards in Products of Animal Origin in Cambodia from 2000 to 2023: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22, 1299. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081299

AMA Style

San SP, Nicolaides L, Grace D, Charaslertrangsi T, Chamnan C, Thombathu SS, Thorng R, Kong L, Noeurn S, Fidero K, et al. Chemical Hazards in Products of Animal Origin in Cambodia from 2000 to 2023: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2025; 22(8):1299. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081299

Chicago/Turabian Style

San, Shwe Phue, Linda Nicolaides, Delia Grace, Tumnoon Charaslertrangsi, Chhoun Chamnan, Shetty Seetharama Thombathu, Ra Thorng, Leab Kong, Sreymom Noeurn, Kuok Fidero, and et al. 2025. "Chemical Hazards in Products of Animal Origin in Cambodia from 2000 to 2023: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 22, no. 8: 1299. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081299

APA Style

San, S. P., Nicolaides, L., Grace, D., Charaslertrangsi, T., Chamnan, C., Thombathu, S. S., Thorng, R., Kong, L., Noeurn, S., Fidero, K., Ratana, C., Zand, N., & Chea, R. (2025). Chemical Hazards in Products of Animal Origin in Cambodia from 2000 to 2023: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(8), 1299. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081299

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