Wild game consumption habits among Italian shooters: relevance for intakes of cadmium, perfluorooctanesulphonic acid, and¹³⁷cesium as priority contaminants

Abstract

The consumption habits of 766 Italian shooters (96% males, 4% females), on average 52 years old, have been investigated, in Italy, through the distribution of questionnaires delivered during shooters' attendance to training and teaching courses, in compliance with 853/2004/EC Regulation provisions on food hygiene. The most consumed wild species recorded were pheasant > woodcock > choke among feathered animals, and wild boar > hare > roe deer among mammals, respectively. An average of 100-200 g game per serving (four servings per month) was consumed, with highest intakes of 3000 g per month; meat, liver, and heart were the preferred food items. Mammalian and feathered game was regularly consumed with friends and relatives in 83% and in 60% of cases, respectively. Accounting for an inventoried population of 751,876 shooters in Italy, it is estimated that there is regular consumption of wild game in around the 3% of the Italian population. More than 80% of responders were aware of health risks related to game handling and to food safety issues. Due to the occurrence in wild boar meat and liver of the heavy metal cadmium (Cd), the persistent organic pollutant perfluorooctan sulphonic acid (PFOS), and the radionuclide cesium (Cs), it was possible to demonstrate the usefulness of such a food consumption database for intake assessment in this sensitive group of consumers. In high consumers of wild boar, threshold concentrations for intakes have been estimated in the ranges of 48-93 ng g for Cd, 35-67 ng g for PFOS and 0.20-0.34 Bq kg for Cs.

Setting maximum levels for lead in game meat in EC regulations: An adjunct to replacement of lead ammunition

“…However, it is assumed that the majority of ‘high level’ or frequent consumers of game are hunters, their families and associates as illustrated by studies from the UK (LAG 2014 ; Green and Pain 2015 ) and other countries (e.g. in Italy, Ferri et al 2017 ). In the UK, where game is commonly sold in supermarkets and other retail outlets, game sales have been reported to be increasing year on year for the last 5 years to 2018, with a 5% increase in 2018 (BASC 2019 ) as a result of game meat promotion campaigns.…”

“…In some EU countries, this has been estimated to be several times higher (e.g. 3% in Italy: Ferri et al 2017 ).…”

Lead Levels in Wild Boar Meat Sauce (Ragù) Sold on the Italian Market

“…In Italy, it has been estimated that 3% of the Italian population are regular consumers of wild game meat, with an average weekly consumption of 100-200 g meat for adults, and about 50 g for children [35,36]. With regard to Italy, it should be also pointed out that meat sauce is a frequently consumed food throughout the country, and the availability of wild boar ragù in food stores and online distribution could expose a wide part of the population, not necessarily consisting of hunters or assiduous consumers of fresh game meat, to lead contamination.…”

Risks to human health from ammunition-derived lead in Europe

“…In Italy, Ferri et al (2017) used questionnaire surveys to study game consumption by 766 Italian shooters. An average of 100–200 g game per serving was consumed with an average of four servings per month (once per week).…”