Effects of Animal, Climatic, Hunting and Handling Conditions on the Hygienic Characteristics of Hunted Roe Doer (Caprelous capreolus L.)

Abstract

The population of wild animals is increasing, and control strategies based on selective hunting are among the major options adopted. The game meat obtained is therefore available for controlled and certified valuable chains. The understanding of carcass contamination and the factors affecting it is therefore crucial to ensure meat safety and prolonged shelf-life. The carcass hygiene of 64 hunted wild male roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) was evaluated in relation to factors potentially affecting it. Aerobic colony and Enterobacteriaceae counts, as well as Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes detection, were performed. The interaction of the microbial determination with age and weight of the animals, the climate conditions, the shooting procedure, the time between the killing and the evisceration as well as the time of storage of the carcasses in refrigerated conditions before skinning, were evaluated. Neither Salmonella spp. nor Listeria monocytogenes were detected on the carcasses and the average loads detected were 3.39 ± 1.06 UFC/cm2 and 2.27± 1.11 UFC/cm2 for the aerobic colony count and Enterobacteriaceae count, respectively. The loads detected are similar to those reported by UE legislation for slaughtered species. The time of storage before skinning, the environmental temperature during hunting and the time between shooting and evisceration, associated with animal weight, affect the carcass hygiene and must be taken into careful consideration by hunters as food business operators.

Improving Hunted Wild Boar Carcass Hygiene: Roles of Different Factors Involved in the Harvest Phase

“…The results highlight that hygiene for game meat depends on several factors that are related to environmental and animal conditions, as well as hunter choices and handling [ 21 ]. Even processing procedures performed at game-handling establishments and cutting plants have to be considered and could be influenced by proper management of hunted animals in the harvest phase, as microbial populations tend to grow quickly when there are high loads in the early stage [ 20 , 28 ].…”

“…In this control program, 2 hunting systems were considered: “aspetto” (or “still” hunting), without dogs, just waiting for wild boar to pass in front of specific hidden shooting points, and “girata,” performed with dogs kept on leashes that reveal the presence of wild boar and leave the hunters to properly check and shoot them. Even though the girata method is generally used by 4 or more hunters, a single hunter was enrolled for the 2 seasons (other than the dog handlers) and was asked to complete a specific survey questionnaire for each hunted animal, such as that reported by Branciari et al [ 21 ] but implemented with the adopted hunting technique, and to define specific factors potentially related to the hygienic condition of the carcasses during harvesting. The distribution of samples according to considered factors is reported in Table 1 .…”

“…After skinning at the game-handling establishment, 4 samples of 5 cm 2 each (1 × 5 cm) were collected from each carcass by the reference excision method on the surface of 4 specific parts that could be considered the most prone to contamination (rump, flank, brisket, and foreleg; Figure 1 ) [ 21 ], pooled in sterile stomacher bags, placed in refrigerated containers, and quickly moved to the microbiology laboratory of the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Perugia for analytical determination.…”

“…The collected hunted wild boars were properly processed at a nearby collection center (2 km from the hunting area, at Azienda Faunistico Venatoria Serra Brunamonti, Gubbio PG, Italy), where the carcasses were weighed, properly eviscerated, and refrigerated without skinning at 5 ± 1 • C. After 2, 4, or 6 days at the collection center (authorized by EU Regulation 852/2004 [22]), carcasses were hygienically transported under refrigeration to the local game-handling establishment, where skinning was promptly performed (as set by EC Regulation 853/2004 [23]). After skinning at the game-handling establishment, 4 samples of 5 cm 2 each (1 × 5 cm) were collected from each carcass by the reference excision method on the surface of 4 specific parts that could be considered the most prone to contamination (rump, flank, brisket, and foreleg; Figure 1) [21], pooled in sterile stomacher bags, placed in refrigerated containers, and quickly moved to the microbiology laboratory of the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Perugia for analytical determination.…”

Microbial, physicochemical and sensory characteristics of salami produced from Wild Boar (Sus scrofa)

“…Besides, the game meat plays a key role in the promotion of local gastronomic specialties and traditions, concurring, therefore, to culinary and cultural touristic promotion with a great potential of economic return for the regional economies (Branciari et al, 2020). A growing number of activities have been promoted to strengthen and diversify the "local direct market" of game meat that has a long tradition in Central Europe: hunters directly supply to consumers or food local businesses (Paulsen, Vali and Bauer, 2011).…”