Food Safety for Deer Hunters

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Food Safety for Deer Hunters

• Enjoy your sport treat family and friends to
  safe Venison

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VenisonCare and Handling of the Meat

• Chilling and Freezing
• for
• Safety Preservation

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Meat Preservation

• Low Temperature
• Chilling
• 32-40ºF (0-5ºC)
• Freezing
• Below 28ºF (-2ºC)

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Carcass Chilling Rate

• Carcass Size Weight
• Temperature of Chill Room
• Air Velocity in Chill Room
• Fat Cover on Carcass
• Chilling Method

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Carcass Chilling Rate

• Chilling Method
• Air
• Deer 20 hrs at 35o F
• Beef 48 hrs. at 35o F
• Pork 20-24 hrs. at 35o F
• Relative Humidity 85
• If higher ? Slime Bacterial Growth

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Time/Temperature Control Points

• Chill Carcass Surface to 40ºF
• Within 24 hrs.
• Handling, Holding
• At 40ºF or lower
• Products that are
• not properly chilled
• held at temperatures exceeding 40ºF
• Further processed to kill pathogens

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Chilling32-40ºF (0-5ºC)

• Carcass Holding
• Deer 1-2 weeks
• Beef 1-2 weeks
• Pork, Poultry, Fish - A Few Days

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Chilling32-40ºF (0-5ºC)

• Meat Aging
• Deer 1 - 2 weeks
• Beef 1 - 4 weeks
• Home Storage - 4 days (short term)
• Cut and packaged meat

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Ageing Deer

• Age deer only if
• Properly handled
• Clean
• No Gut Shot

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Ageing of the Carcass

• Leave the skin on during ageing (cold)
• Holds down shrinkage
• Avoids discoloration
• Proper ageing
• Improves tenderness
• Ageing temperatures
• 32º to 36 º Fahrenheit
• Not to exceed 40 º Fahrenheit
• Ageing time
• 2 Weeks Maximum

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Home Refrigeration Tips

• Operate refrigerator at 35ºF (2ºF)
• Properly wrap all meat
• Steaks and roasts may be aged in the refrigerator
• Ground meat has a short shelf life
• Cured meat products are more stable than fresh
  meat

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FreezingLess than 28ºF (-2ºC)

• Defined by ice crystal formation
• Water ICE

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FreezingLess than 28ºF (-2ºC)

• Maintains
• Flavor and Tenderness
• Nutritive Properties
• of fresh meat when properly applied

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Quality Affected By

• Freezing Rate
• Storage Conditions
• Thawing Rate

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Rapid vs. Slow Freezing

• ICE Crystal Size
• ICE Crystal Location

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Rapid Vs. Slow Freezing

• Ice Crystal Size
• Slow freezing allows ice crystals to grow to
  larger sizes.
• Ice Crystal Location

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Rapid Vs. Slow Freezing

• Ice Crystal Size
• Ice Crystal Location
• Slow freezing causes ice crystals to migrate to
  intercellular space.
• Causes more drip loss

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Bottom Line.

• Freezing
• stops growth of microorganisms during storage
• may damage or kill some organisms
• maintains quality of product when properly
  applied
• Does not preserve by destroying bacteria, virus,
  mold or toxins.

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Thawing Meat

• Meat thaws more slowly than it freezes
• at same temperature differential
• Slow thawing tends to reduce drip loss

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Thawing meat at room temperature poses a food
safety hazard!
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Frozen Storage Time

• Proper package
• Sealed to prevent air and moisture exchange
• Protect from Freezer Burn

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Freezer Burn

• Area of severe dehydration on product surface
• Prevent with proper packaging

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Frozen Storage Time

• Proper package
• Uniform low temperature -18ºC (0ºF)

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Frozen Storage Timetable

• Venison 6-12 months
• Beef 6-12 months
• Lamb 6-12 months
• Veal 4 - 6 months
• Fresh Pork 4 - 6 months
• Cured Pork 1.5 months
• Variety Meats 3 months
• Poultry 4 months
• Ground Beef 6 months
• Seasoned Sausage 2 months

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Freezer Operation Tips

• All freezer stored meat should be commercially
  quick frozen
• IQF - Individually Quick Frozen
• Operate freezer at 0ºF (-10ºF better)
• Maintain constant temperature 5ºF
• Proper wrapping is important
• Learn to recognize normal frozen meat color
• Observe recommended frozen storage times
• Thaw meat in the refrigerator or cook without
  thawing (allow 1/3 more time to cook)

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Freezer Power Failure

• Do Not Open the Freezer During Power Outage.
• Check temperature of meat packages after power is
  restored.
• If temperature is
• Refreeze quickly
• Temperature 40oF
• Cook immediately or discard

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Chronic Wasting Disease

• CWD

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CWD

• A Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathie (TSE)
• TSEs are fatal neurological disorders affecting
  humans and animals.
• BSE in Beef
• CJD in Humans
• Scrapie in Sheep
• FSE in Domestic Cats
• CWD in Deer and Elk

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CWD

• TSEs are caused by Prions
• Prions are a small protein
• Prions are resistant to heat and chemical
  denaturants
• Prions are difficult to deactivate
• CWD is not currently thought to be transmissible
  to Humans

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Prudent Recommendations

• Minimize contact with Brain tissue, Spinal cord,
  Lymph nodes and Spleen
• Wear rubber gloves when field dressing, removing
  the head and antlers
• Use separate saw when removing head and antlers
• Remove lymph nodes
• Process animals individually
• Bone out the meat form your animal
• Use strong bleach to sanitize equipment

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Protecting Indianas Deer Herd

• So far CWD has not been found in Indiana
• Indiana has banned importation of live deer and
  elk

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Its a matter of risk reduction!

• safe meat
• 90 common sense and vigilance on the part of all
  handlers.

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Always - Wash Hands or Use Waterless Jels When
handling any food
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Happy Hunting