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Simple Steps Fight Contamination and Bacteria
In Michigan, almost 700,000 hunters enjoy the annual fall rite of deer hunting. While most hunters are aware of the risks involved with using firearms and tree stands, they also need to understand the risk of food borne illness from improperly prepared venison.
Bow hunting season is underway amid warm temperatures and there has been warm weather during firearm season the past several years. Warm weather can quickly make venison inedible if not handled properly. Deer can contain harmful bacteria such as the E. coli strain, which produces a potent toxin and can cause severe illness.
“This time of year media and hunters discuss hunting safety issues such as heart attack risks, falls from tree stands and basic firearm safety,” said Philip Henderson, MD, an internal medicine specialist for Spectrum Health Primary Care Partners. “However, you don’t hear much about keeping meat clean and cold. Last year more than 480,000 deer were harvested in Michigan, so it’s likely more than one hunter was sickened by poor handling techniques.”
An avid deer hunter, Henderson personally knows the importance of cleaning and cooling the animal after a kill. “Quickly and properly field dressing a deer then cooling it quickly to between 35 and 40 degrees is important. Poor field dressing can allow stomach or intestinal contents to contaminate the meat. Bacteria multiply rapidly above 40 degrees, so you have to cool your deer or get it to a processor with a cooler quickly.”
Hunters should keep in mind the following tips on venison preparation from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and the Michigan State University Extension:
Field dressing/transporting/processing:
- Wear disposable plastic gloves to reduce risk of disease exposure
- Remove entrails immediately
- Avoid cutting paunch and intestines; bacteria associated with food borne illness may be found in these organs.
- Remove dirt, feces, hair and bloodshot areas
- Clean your knife frequently with clean water, pre-moistened wipes, or alcohol swabs; avoid dragging bacteria into the meat
- Wipe out the cavity with paper towels; aid air circulation by propping it open with a clean stick
- If you wash the cavity with water, dry it quickly to prevent spoilage
- Cool quickly to 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit; bacteria multiply rapidly between 40-140 degrees
- Ice/snow sealed in plastic bags and packed into the cavity aid cooling
- Keep the carcass out of direct sunlight
- Skinning helps cool the carcass faster
- When deboning, discard the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen and lymph nodes
Care in the kitchen:
- Clean your hands, cooking utensils and surfaces frequently
- Don’t cross-contaminate by using the same utensils and surfaces without proper cleaning for cooked and uncooked foods
- Freezing will not kill bacteria. Cook until internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees
- Chill by refrigerating promptly
Freeze game properly:
- Freeze no more than four pounds per cubic foot of freezer space within 24 hours
- Use food grade containers/wraps-no garbage bags
- Never thaw meat at room temperature
Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system in West Michigan that offers a full continuum of care through its seven hospitals, more than 140 service sites and Priority Health, a health plan with nearly 500,000 members. Spectrum Health’s 14,000 employees, 1,500 medical staff members and 2,000 volunteers are committed to delivering the highest quality care to those in medical need. The organization provided $111.1 million in community benefit during its 2008 fiscal year. As a system, Spectrum Health has earned more than 100 awards during the past 10 years.
FAQs
Two deer hunters died from a rare brain disease after they ate venison possibly tainted with chronic wasting disease, according to a new study. The research conducted at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio raised concerns the fatal deer disease could be transmitted to humans.
Did two hunters may have died of prion disease from eating contaminated deer meat researchers say? ›
Two deer hunters died from a rare brain disease after they ate venison possibly tainted with chronic wasting disease, according to a new study. The research conducted at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio raised concerns the fatal deer disease could be transmitted to humans.
Why shouldn't you eat deer meat? ›
Eating venison fresh isn't recommended because of how common parasites and tapeworms are. Even in homemade jerky and fermented sausages, E. coli can stay in the deer's intestinal tract. You should steam, roast, or boil venison to 165 degrees Fahrenheit before drying.
How does hunting help prevent the spread of disease? ›
In the wild, predators can help slow the spread of diseases by targeting sick animals. Similarly, hunters can help prevent Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from getting worse by continuing to hunt, said Luis Escobar, an assistant professor of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech.
Can you get E. coli from venison? ›
Therefore proper handling of game meat from field to table is extremely important. Although warmer temperatures may be more comfortable for hunters, colder temperatures help keep game meat safe. Game animals, especially deer, are known to carry E. coli and game birds can carry Salmonella.
Can you get prion disease from venison? ›
2 hunters may have died of prion disease from eating contaminated deer meat, researchers say. Researchers have drawn a possible link between the deaths of two hunters in the last couple of years from a rare neurological condition.
What is the disease from eating venison? ›
Two hunters who ate meat from deer known to have chronic wasting disease − or “zombie deer disease” − developed similar neurological conditions and died, raising concerns that it can pass from animals to humans.
Is eating venison every day bad? ›
While venison is slightly higher in cholesterol than other types of meat, it's also lower in calories and saturated fat. Therefore, venison can fit into a well-rounded diet — just remember to enjoy it in moderation and pair it with a variety of other nutrient-dense sources of protein.
Is it biblical to eat deer meat? ›
the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep. You may eat any animal that has a split hoof divided in two and that chews the cud. However, of those that chew the cud or that have a split hoof completely divided you may not eat the camel, the rabbit or the coney.
Why do I get diarrhea after eating deer meat? ›
It is known that deer are among the many species of wild animals that can shed Salmonella in their feces. This can lead to human infection in those who process, prepare, or consume venison.
It is the level of these compounds in the diet that dictate how yellow the fat may be. While there may be other causes of yellow fat (end-stage liver failure would do it too), they are not common and the most likely cause of this deer's sunny interior is a diet high in carotenes.
Is deer urine harmful to humans? ›
People can catch leptospirosis from infected animal urine. Even a splash or fine spray of urine or indirect contact with urine-contaminated water can spread large numbers of leptospires.
What is the disease killing deer? ›
Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) as well as Bluetongue Virus (BT) are illnesses caused by two similar viruses impacting white-tailed deer with EHD being more common in deer. These viruses are transmitted by the biting midge, Culicoides.
Can bad venison make you sick? ›
Foodborne illnesses can be transmitted anytime during the harvest, handling, or consumption of wild game due to cross-contamination, especially if the meat is not handled properly during harvest, cleaning (i.e., skinning, gutting), cooking, or preservation.
Can you cook bacteria out of deer meat? ›
Venison should be cooked to at least 165° to ensure harmful bacteria are killed.
How to know if deer meat is bad? ›
Color: Fresh venison is a dark, brownish-red in hue, while venison that has gone bad typically has a greenish tint. Texture: Good venison is firm and tough, and it should feel smooth and slick to the touch. If the venison looks loose or has started to break apart, the spoiling process has begun.
Can you get prion disease from eating meat? ›
The misfolding leads to brain damage and other symptoms. Symptoms may take years to develop. But once they do, the disease rapidly progresses and leads to death. Some of the reasons people may get sick with prion diseases is eating or handling meat contaminated with prions.
Can hunters eat deer with CWD? ›
Strongly consider having the deer or elk tested for CWD before you eat the meat. If your animal tests positive for CWD, do not eat meat from that animal. If you have your deer or elk commercially-processed, consider asking that your animal be processed individually to avoid mixing meat from multiple animals.
What happens if you eat a deer with bovine tuberculosis? ›
Bovine TB is generally transmitted through the air by coughing and sneezing, and it is highly unlikely a person would contract the disease from field dressing or eating the meat of an infected deer. However, it is always a good idea to wear gloves when field-dressing any animal.
How can you tell if deer meat is contaminated? ›
How to tell if venison has gone bad
- A black tint, dark brown, or dark green color indicates that the meat may be off.
- The texture of the surface of the meat should be smooth. Sliminess may mean that it is going off.
- Fresh venison should have a distinct gamey smell. It should not smell sour, yeasty, or unpleasant.
