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Guidelines on the hygienic management of wild meat

Guidelines have been established concerning the hygienic management of wild meat

　As harm affecting the agricultural, forest, and fishing industries due to wild animals has grown more serious in recent years, the Protection and Control of Wild Birds and Mammals and Hunting Management Law has been revised to provide suitable management of wild animals. In accordance with this, it is expected that the number of wild animals caught will increase, and thus it is also expected that the usage of caught wild animals for food will also increase.

However, unlike domesticated livestock such as cows and pigs, the feed and breeding methods of wild animals such as wild boar and deer are not managed and as such they may carry parasites and the hepatitis E virus. In addition, unlike domesticated livestock, there is no requirement that wild animals be inspected for disease when being butchered for food, and the meat thus derived carries high risks in terms of food hygiene.

Differences in processing of wild animals and domesticated livestock (general overview)

Wild boar, deer, etc. (wild animals)	Hunting	Transport	Processing	Treatment/ cooking/ sale	Consumption
	Outdoors	Car/truck	Meat processing	Meat sale	Restaurants, etc.

Cattle, pigs, chickens, etc. (domesticated livestock)	Slaughter/butchering/inspection by a veterinarian			Treatment/ cooking/ sale	Consumption
	Slaughterhouse/poultry slaughterhouse			Meat processing/sale	Restaurants, etc.

Accordingly, the Guidelines on the Hygienic Management of Wild Meat were created on November 14, 2014 to ensure the safety of wild meat in Japan.

Key guideline points

The guidelines describe hygienic measures which should be followed by all hunters, meat processors, and restaurant operators, etc. who provide wild meat to unspecified or large numbers of people. The guidelines also include specific processing methods premised on the disposal of dubious items for which it cannot be determined whether they will pose any problems if used as food.

Key hygiene management points which should be observed by all hunters

1. When hunting

In order to prevent direct infection by blood, etc., as well as indirect infection by ticks, etc., of zoonosis, wear synthetic gloves such as those made from rubber or vinyl and avoid coming into direct contact with the animal. In addition, also take care to ensure that you the hunter are in good physical health.
When hunting a wild animal, check for and record the presence or absence of any abnormalities in physical appearance or behavior. Dispose of any dubious items or animals for which it cannot be determined wither they will pose any problems if used as food.

2. From bleeding to transport and arrival at a meat processing facility

Sterilize knives, etc., used for bleeding immediately prior to use.
f forced to remove organs outdoors, have a hunter with proper hygiene management knowledge and skills confirm and record the presence or absence of any abnormalities with the internal organs. Do not use any of the organs removed outdoors for food.
Give recorded information concerning capture through to arrival at a meat processing facility to the meat processor and keep copies for a fixed period of time.

3. When using for personal consumption

Even when using hunted meat for personal consumption, be sure to engage in thorough hygiene management and strive to prevent food poisoning.
Eating raw or insufficiently heated wild deer or boar meat carries the risk of food poisoning due to the hepatitis E virus and Enterohemorrhagic E. coli, and is also known to result in parasite infection.
Sufficiently heat meat using a method which will heat the center of the meat to a temperature of 75° C for one minute or longer or a method which will exceed this and never eat raw meat.

Key hygiene management points which should be observed by all restaurants, etc.

1. Reception and stocking

When receiving wild meat or stocking wild meat, be sure to get information from the hunter or supplier concerning the circumstances surrounding the hunting of the animal as well as concerning the processing of its meat.
Only stock wild meat which has been butchered in a facility licensed for meat processing.

2. Hygiene management

Check for any abnormalities in color or odor during stocking, processing, and cooking. If any abnormalities are noted, refrain from usage of the meat and contact the supplier.
Wash any utensils and containers used for the processing, cooking, or treatment of wild meat and game immediately after finishing and sterilize using hot water at 83° C or higher or with sodium hypochlorite at 200 ppm or higher, etc.
When preserving wild meat, separate from other meat and preserve at 10° C or less (when freezing, at -15° C or less)
If planning on slaughtering or butchering wild boar or deer at a facility licensed to operate as a restaurant, be sure to obtain a license for meat processing in addition to the restaurant license.

3. Provision of meat

Eating raw or insufficiently heated wild deer or boar meat carries the risk of food poisoning due to the hepatitis E virus and Enterohemorrhagic E. coli, and is also known to result in parasite infection.
When stocking or providing wild meat, sufficiently heat meat (using a method which will heat the center of the meat to a temperature of 75° C for one minute or longer or a method which will exceed this) and never provide raw meat.

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