In various parts of the U.S., the hunting season has begun. Hopefully, numerous hunters will soon be dressing and processing wild game. Following proper dressing, processing and if using a meat grinder, grinding procedures are essential for maintaining adequate food safety. Similar to farm livestock, deer, elk, boars, and other wild game can carry pathogens like E. coli or Salmonella. Take preventative steps to stop the transmission of these pathogens

Follow these general processing tips to help keep food safe after a successful hunt:

• When field dressing wild game, protect your hands and fingers by wearing rubber or latex gloves.
• First handle the carcass appropriately. Immediately bleed the carcass after the kill. Use gravity to help speed up the draining of the body cavity.
• Make sure the carcass is kept as cool as possible, especially during the summer months, before, during, and after dressing and skinning. If needed, use ice to cool the carcass.
• Dress and eviscerate the animal as quickly as possible to cool the carcass down and help prevent the growth and spread of pathogens and bacteria.
• Do not let the contents of the bladder, intestines, hair or skin come in contact with the meat. Cut off and remove any areas that become infected.
• Use different knives for cutting the skin, body cavity parts and the meat.
• Thoroughly wash your hands and arms with soap and water before and after the field dressing. Thoroughly sanitize any equipment and work areas that were used.
• Prior to cooking or home processing, keep the meat appropriately cooled or frozen.
• If further processing the meat through a meat grinder, after grinding, run a few slices of bread through the meat grinder to help clean away any grease and raw meat that may be stuck or hiding in the unit.
• Thoroughly wash the meat grinder pieces by hand.

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Published 10/28/2009 12:00:00 AM

Tags: Field Dressing, Wild Game