Webinar Series: "Safety in the Game Meat Chain"
Webinar #7: "New Knowledge and Hunters Training"
Date: 12 November 2025, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM CET
This webinar will focus on the latest knowledge and training for hunters, with presentations covering the mitigation of African swine fever transmission through food waste, the occurrence of Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., and antibiotic-resistant E. coli in mallards, and the importance of hunters' training in food safety and zoonoses.
The session will emphasize the importance of training programs for hunters and the need to address foodborne pathogens in wildlife populations. It will also highlight the significance of ensuring food safety and controlling zoonoses in hunting practices.
Presentations included:
- “Mitigating the risk of african swine fever transmission from food waste to pig populations”
Astrid Bornfeldt Persson – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala - “Occurrence of Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., and antibiotic-resistant E. coli in mallards in Sweden”
Emma Bergenkvist – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala
Webinar #6: "Game Meat By-Products: Definitions, Environmental, and Pet Food Safety Issues"
Date: 25 March 2025
This webinar focuses on game meat by-products, including their definitions, environmental and health risks, and role in the pet food supply chain. It covers the regulatory definitions of animal by-products such as unfit parts, skins, bones, and organs, as well as disposal methods and processing for pet food. Risks of zoonotic diseases from improper disposal are discussed.
The session emphasizes the need for improved waste management and better training for hunters and food processors. It also addresses pet food safety, especially concerns about lead contamination in game meat.
Presentations included:
- “Definition of Game Meat By-Products: Origin, Intended Use, and Improper Disposal”
Susana Santos and Susana Gonçalves – Direção-Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária, Portugal - “Game By-Products Left in the Field: Risks of Game Offal for Free-Range Livestock and Wild Animals”
Marco Gobbi – Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Umbria and Marche, Italy - “Game By-Products in the Pet Food Supply Chain: Risks for Companion Animals”
Peter Paulsen – University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria
Webinar #5: "Training of Hunters in Hygiene"
Date: 05 February 2025
Working Group 1 – Hunting and Processing kicked off the second round of the webinar series by discussing the role of hunters in game meat safety. Hunters must complete training to meet the standards of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 to qualify as ‘trained persons’. This webinar featured experts from Finland, Portugal, and Sweden, who shared successful examples of national training programs in game meat hygiene.
Presentations included:
- “Training of hunters in hygiene in Finland”
Sauli Laaksonen – University of Helsinki - “Training of hunters in hygiene in Portugal”
Madalena Vieira-Pinto – Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal - “The training of Swedish hunters in hygiene”
Jonas Malmsten – Game consultant, Sweden
Webinar #4: "Meat-borne Pathogens"
Date: 04 December 2024
Working Group 4 – Biological Hazards organizes the 4th webinar in the series, focusing on the risks of meat-borne pathogens. Zoonotic pathogens such as foodborne parasites, bacteria, viruses, and prions pose a significant public health risk. Experts will discuss how zoonoses in large game can be transmitted through improper handling or consumption of undercooked or raw game meat. The session will address various meatborne hazards and highlight the importance of proper meat handling for disease prevention.
Presenters include:
- “Risk ranking of foodborne parasites in Europe and their relevance for game meat”
Joke van der Giessen – RIVM, the Netherlands - “Meat-borne hazards in game meat as a source for human cases or outbreaks”
Gianluca Marucci – ISS, Italy - “Zoonosis in wild large game. The importance of the Initial examination on the spot as a tool for surveillance and health management under One Health approach”
Madalena Viera-Pinto – Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
Webinar #3: "The Risks of Game Meat: (Too) Optimistic Hunters, Contaminants, and Product Adulteration"
Date: 25 October 2024
This webinar covers the risks of game meat consumption, focusing on contaminants, food safety, and product adulteration. Presentations will discuss Italian hunters' behavior, monitoring plans, and food fraud detection in game meat products.
Presentations include:
- “I'm Better Than You: Assessing the Presence of Optimistic Bias Among Italian Hunters”
Annafrancesca Corradini, University of Milan, Italy - “Wild Game Consumption Habits Among Italian Hunters: Implications for Cadmium, Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid, and Cesium Exposure”
Gianfranco Brambilla, Italian National Institute of Health, Italy - “Uncovering Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Meat Substitution in Game Meat Products Using Quantitative Real-Time PCR”
Isabel Mafra, University of Porto, Portugal
Webinar #2: "PFAS in Game Meat and Offal"
Date: 19 August 2024
Working Group 3 – Chemical Hazards explored the relevance of PFAS in game meat safety. PFAS are persistent environmental contaminants with several adverse health effects in humans. Experts from Poland, Denmark, and Germany presented their research on PFAS contamination in game animals. The webinar highlighted differences in exposure levels among countries and species, illustrating how environmental conditions and hunting locations can influence contamination levels. Special attention was given to the risks associated with consuming liver and offal, which often accumulate higher PFAS concentrations. The session also discussed monitoring needs and possible strategies for reducing consumer exposure.
Presentations included:
- “What are PFAS and Why Should They Concern Hunters?” – Szczepan Mikolajczyk, National Veterinary Research Institute, Poland
- “PFAS in Greenlandic and Danish Game Meat” – Rune Dietz, University of Aarhus, Denmark
- “PFAS in German Game Meat” – Jana Rupp, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Germany
Webinar #1: "Hunting and Processing"
Date: 13 June 2024
The "Safety in the Game Meat Chain" webinar series, organized by Working Group 1 – Hunting and Processing, launched on 13 June 2024. The first session featured insightful presentations from two leading organizations:
- The Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation
Torsten Mörner – CIC, International Organization - FACE for Hunters
Tristan B. Breijer – FACE, International Organization
These organizations presented their missions and ongoing initiatives, providing a comprehensive view of hunting and conservation efforts and highlighting their importance in ensuring game meat safety.