Lead can be found in wild game as a result of using lead shot or bullets. When game is processed at Approved Game Handling Establishments, the affected parts of the meat should be removed due to the damage caused by the shot, therefore also removing most of the lead. However there may still be small amounts left in the meat.
Wild game includes:
- deer
- rabbit
- pheasant
- duck
- goose
- grouse
- wood pigeon
- partridge
Eating lead-shot game regularly can expose you to potentially harmful levels of lead. Those who eat lead-shot game should minimise the amount they eat, especially for small game animals.
Exposure to lead can harm the developing brain and nervous system. So cutting down the amount of lead-shot game eaten is especially important for toddlers, children, pregnant women and women trying for a baby.
Wild game guides and HACCP
The Wild Game Guide (WGG) provides guidance for the Scottish wild game food sector, as well as enforcement officers, on the food hygiene legal requirements which apply to the hunting, processing and supply of wild game into the food chain.
