Blood pudding is a dish that comes with many health risks, thanks to the potential pathogens it may contain. Eating blood pudding puts individuals at risk of contracting streptococcus, tapeworms, worms, gastrointestinal diseases, meningococcal disease, and even death.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh from the Institute of Food Technology at Hanoi University of Science Technology explains that blood pudding is made from living blood, which means it cannot eliminate all bacteria and parasites, especially if the blood comes from infected animals like pigs, chickens, ducks, and goats. Consuming contaminated blood pudding can lead to various health issues such as helminths, gastrointestinal diseases, and streptococcus infections.
One of the biggest dangers associated with consuming blood pudding is the risk of contracting pork tapeworm infection. The tapeworm eggs can develop into larvae that penetrate the digestive tract mucosa and migrate to different parts of the body, including the brain, causing symptoms like headaches, nausea, vomiting, and seizures. Swine streptococcus is another serious disease that can be transmitted to humans through consuming undercooked pork products like blood pudding, leading to symptoms like fever
