The Missing Process Hygiene Criteria in the Game Meat Chain: Challenges in Wild Boar Meat Production

Wild boars are the most widespread large wild mammals globally, capable of reaching high population densities due to their ecological adaptability and human-related factors. This leads to significant environmental, economic, and public health issues, making effective management essential. Hunting remains the most efficient control strategy and offers the potential to develop a game meat supply chain. However, wild boars are known carriers of foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, and various hunting-related factors can influence carcass hygiene. This study aimed to assess microbial hygiene indicators-aerobic colony count (ACC), Enterobacteriaceae count (EntC), Salmonella, and Escherichia coli-in wild boars hunted in the Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, during the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 hunting seasons. A total of 115 sponge samples from carcasses and 78 diaphragm muscle samples were collected from eight game-handling establishments (GHEs), with biometric and process-related data also recorded. Results showed average ACC and EntC levels of 4.22 and 2.27 log CFU/cm², respectively. Salmonella was found in 3.48% of samples, with limited resistance detected (only one isolate resistant to sulfamethoxazole). E. coli was detected in 97.43% of the samples, with no resistance observed to third-generation cephalosporins or carbapenems. Of these E. coli isolates, 39.5% harboured at least one virulence gene, and the majority were classified as atypical enteroaggregative E. coli (aEAEC). The study highlighted that time intervals between killing, evisceration, and skinning had a significant impact on hygiene, recommending completion of all steps ideally within 4 h. Although specific hygiene criteria for wild game are lacking, the observed microbial levels were within acceptable limits set for livestock by Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005. The findings underscore the need for standardized processing practices to ensure safety in wild boar meat production.