Lead contamination in Australian game meat

Abstract

Lead-based ammunition (gunshot and bullets) frequently leaves small lead fragments embedded in the meat of wild-shot game animals. Australia produces several commercial game meat products from wild animals harvested with lead-based ammunition and has a growing population of recreational hunters. However, no studies have previously investigated the frequency of lead fragments or lead concentrations in Australian game meat. We examined 133 Australian minced game meat items of four types for evidence of lead contamination. Samples were meat from kangaroos (Macropus and Osphranter spp.; n=36) and Bennett’s wallabies (Notamacropus rufogriseus; n=28) sold for human consumption, and deer (‘venison’; multiple spp.; n=32) and stubble quail (Coturnix pectoralis; n=37) harvested for private consumption by recreational hunters. All packages were studied by digital radiography to detect the presence of radio-dense fragments, assumed to be lead fragments from ammunition. Visible fragments were absent in commercially available kangaroo products, but were present in 4%, 28% and 35% of wallaby, venison and quail, respectively. Mean meat lead concentrations (mg/kg wet weight) were 0.01 ± 0.01 for kangaroo, 0.02 ± 0.01 for wallaby, 0.12 ± 0.07 for venison, and 1.76 ± 3.76 for quail. The Australian food standards threshold for livestock meat (0.1 mg/kg w.w.) was not exceeded by any kangaroo or wallaby products but was exceeded by 53% and 86% of venison and quail, respectively. Radiography only detected 35% of samples that were above the food safety threshold. While average lead concentrations in commercially available macropod (kangaroo and wallaby) meat were low, those in recreationally harvested game meat may pose health risks for hunters and associated consumers.

Highlighting the risk of environmental lead contamination for deer management in Australia

“…A similar conclusion was reached from X-ray analysis of Red Deer and Roe Deer shot in Scotland (Knott et al 2010). The results of this study suggest that deer culling events are likely to (Hampton et al 2023c).…”

“…That study detected radiographically visible lead fragments in 28% of minced venison packages, with the Australian food standards threshold for livestock meat (0.1 mg/kg wet weight) exceeded by 53% of these same venison packages (Hampton et al . 2023c).…”

“…The same lead fragments pose a health risk to human consumers of game meat harvested during recreational deer hunting (Hunt et al 2009;Wilson et al 2020). There is no recognised safe level of lead ingestion for human health (World Health Organization 2022), and yet nearly all Australian game meat (obtained from wild animals) is killed with lead-based bullets (Hampton et al 2018), representing a significant risk to human health (Hampton et al 2023c). There are few studies reporting lead contamination levels in Australian game meat (Hampton et al 2022c), in contrast to elsewhere in the world (e.g.…”

“…2018), representing a significant risk to human health (Hampton et al . 2023c). There are few studies reporting lead contamination levels in Australian game meat (Hampton et al .…”

Heavy metal and metalloid concentrations in red deer (Cervus elaphus) and their human health implications from One Health perspective

“…Game species have been frequently used due to their general accessibility, distribution and the direct impact in the health of consumers. However, there is a lack of studies and continuous monitoring of these populations in the Iberian Peninsula, especially considering their abundance, proximity to humans and livestock, consumption habits and economical importance in these countries (Hampton et al, 2023 ; Jota Baptista et al, 2023a , 2023b ).…”