Trichinosis, be honest, have you gotten it?

[Coveyleader]

Adding on to the salvage thread, have you ever contracted trichinosis? We all know there are ways to avoid it, but I can't help but wonder how many people have contracted it when you see guys eating bear meat over a camp fire, making sausage sticks, smoked hams, and prep that pretty much hasn't nuked the meat and even sharing the meat with others that may not know how to handle it properly.

Anyone you know get it?

Edit, interesting note from the CDC "Use separate knives and grinders when processing meats. Thoroughly clean all utensils, equipment, and surfaces before preparing other foods."

Are you guys using the same grinders etc that you use for elk, moose etc?

 

[Buckshot85]

What are the symptoms or affects of it?
It’s parasite, correct?

 

[MuleyFever]

What are the symptoms or affects of it?
It’s parasite, correct?

Trichinosis Fact Sheet - MN Dept. of Health

www.health.state.mn.us

 

[DWinVA]

Been eating a lot of VA black bear the past 5 years. Cook it past 160 and have pressure canned most of it. No issues. Also, no special care in handling or cleaning processing tools. I do not give raw bear meat away….my wife and I like it way too much to do that.

I definitely don’t listen to the CDC concerning my wild game meat.

God Bless.

 

[Andouille]

Edit, interesting note from the CDC "Use separate knives and grinders when processing meats. Thoroughly clean all utensils, equipment, and surfaces before preparing other foods."

Are you guys using the same grinders etc that you use for elk, moose etc?

To clarify, CDC is not saying you need to buy two meat grinders, etc. Rather, they are stating that you should not use the same utensils on different meats while processing (don't process bear and deer at the same time with the same knife, etc.), then the second sentence clarifies that implements should be cleaned before use on different foods. Pretty standard stuff when dealing with pork and chicken which carry parasites or microbes not usually found in venison. goat/lamb, and beef.

 

[Tod osier]

Adding on to the salvage thread, have you ever contracted trichinosis? We all know there are ways to avoid it, but I can't help but wonder how many people have contracted it when you see guys eating bear meat over a camp fire, making sausage sticks, smoked hams, and prep that pretty much hasn't nuked the meat and even sharing the meat with others that may not know how to handle it properly.

Anyone you know get it?

Edit, interesting note from the CDC "Use separate knives and grinders when processing meats. Thoroughly clean all utensils, equipment, and surfaces before preparing other foods."

Are you guys using the same grinders etc that you use for elk, moose etc?

There are only a dozen (or so) cases a year. It is pretty rare.

 

[bradb]

No. But did get a few packs of meat from a buddy that shot one that was going to a garbage dumpster and the meat was rancid. Rancid has a distinct smell and taste. I noticed it right away when cooking it. Would not even feed it to the dog

 

[StupidLightweight]

Two years ago, I contracted a parasite after a backcountry Idaho spring bear hunt. There wasn't a lot of discomfort or even symptoms, but when I had to poop, it was coming — fast. Doctor couldn't determine if it was from untreated water or bears, but I lean towards handling all the bear meat during processing, cutting up back at camp, and consuming after roasting over an open fire.

After a course of strong medicine for a week, the parasite was gone, but my GI system is still out of whack. One bonus is time savings. Instead of a few minutes per poop, I'm done in 30 seconds now! #Winning

 

[EdP]

It was present in pork until a few years ago and folks managed to eat a lot of pork for a very long time without getting infected. Every cook knew to cook to the specified temperature all the way through and it was perfectly safe.

 

[Andouille]

Largely eradicated from commercial pork because of anti-parasitic drugs. But feral hogs and bears will always pose a risk for trichnosis.

Steve Rinella of Meateater contracted trichnosis a while ago and provided some interesting information about the prevalence of trichnella in Montana black bears; essentially all older (3+ yr) bears seems to have it.

 

[khart_6882]

Funny this got brought up today. I took a big bite of mountain lion breakfast sausage the other morning and noticed that it was still quite pink inside. Haven’t gotten any symptoms yet


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[Dmoua]

Nope. Hopefully never.

 

[tater]

I know the subject of this article. Good information.

 

[Mikey_B79]

I have not. I discovered black bear meat a while ago. My dad used to tell me they were greasy and gross. I have a few go-to recipes that are just amazing. But all of them involve thoroughly cooking the meat. Chili and stews are a great use. Pot roasts and braised recipes as well. Smoked sausage and hams, basically anything where you know you can get the temps up there for a while will do the trick.

I've heard 140 degrees is enough to kill the parasite, I usually shoot for 170 wherever my instant-read thermometer reaches before I consider it "done". Best part about bear is when it is fall-off-the-bone tender, it's cooked through enough to kill anything it's picked up over the years. Save the rare cooks for prime ribs of beef or steaks, there's a lot of great recipes for bear (and I find it's a far better beef substitute than a cervid).

 

[PablitoPescador]

One of the great things about Covid is it brought awareness to a cheap drug that treats two common afflictions of hunters. Trichinosis and giardia

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284116480_Infectivity_of_Ivermectin-Treated_Trichinella_spiralis_Larvae_A_New_Challenge_for_Control

 

[gerry35]

One of the great things about Covid is it brought awareness to a cheap drug that treats two common afflictions of hunters. Trichinosis and giardia

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284116480_Infectivity_of_Ivermectin-Treated_Trichinella_spiralis_Larvae_A_New_Challenge_for_Control

Yes it sure has helped us the last couple of years. Good to know it can help with trichinosis too.

 

[benclimbing]

I only share/trade raw bear meat with my taxidermist and my butcher, both know what's up. And I only cook sous vide (90 min @ 155) or roast (6 hrs at 250). Love it.

 

[ddd-shooter]

These were helpful to me. I think from the CDC or USDA.
No, I have never and all our friends and family love to eat bear and they haven’t.

 

[voidclimber]

Cook it to 160.

 

[Darryle]

I ate a metric ton of wild pork around 1999 - 2001, so much that I can't stand it. I drag them off now. I never got it and I ate some form of wild pork 2 or 3 times a day for years.

If it's anything like salmonella, I will glady pass. I have had that twice.