Abstract
We used anonymous questionnaires to assess the hygienic and sanitary aspects of game meat self-consumption in Eastern Spain as the first step towards a health risk assessment. The survey yielded 472 valid interviews from active hunters. The maximum possible score was 65 points (average 29 ± 8; range 1–52). Most participants were men (95%), but women achieved significantly better scores (p = 0.003). Hunters above 65 years old scored significantly lower results than younger groups (p = 0.007). The score increased with the educational level (p = 0.046). A 92% of the collaborators consumed game meat. Veterinary inspection and freezing were irregular among the participants. Most respondents declared carrying the animals in their personal vehicles. Of the dressing process, 61% of sites were outdoors, 68% of the participants declared using specific knives, 64% used the same clothes as in the field, and 42% used disposable gloves. The most usual way to dispose of the remains was garbage containers (41%); offal abandonment in the field was 33%, and 13% fed domestic animals using the remains. We conclude that public health authorities should increase their interest in the self-consumption of game meat. Clear guidelines about domestic dressing facilities and hygienic habits should be published, these being essential when looking for synergies with hunter associations.
Highlights
Game meat is a appreciated product due to its high culinary [1] and nutritional value [2,3,4]
In Spain, meat from wild game species represents only 2% of the total meat intake [11], and 59.6% of game meat is consumed by the hunters themselves or the hunters’ inner circle [12]
The present study was conducted in the Valencian community (Eastern Spain), a 23,255 km2 autonomous region with 4.9 million inhabitants [44]
Summary
Game meat is a appreciated product due to its high culinary [1] and nutritional value (high protein and mineral content and low fat and cholesterol levels) [2,3,4]. Wildlife does not have the sanitary status achieved by farm production; the animals are culled in the field [13,14] and, especially in domestic consumption, carcasses are often eviscerated and skinned under poor hygienic conditions [14,15,16] Some issues such as carcass contamination, promoted by bullet trajectory [13,17,18], heavy metals from ammunition remains [19,20,21,22], or the time between death and skinning and dressing [13,23], are specific concerns in game meat use
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