USA: Toxic Chemicals Found in Game Meat
In the USA, toxic chemicals have been detected in game meat. The so-called forever chemicals PFAS pose a threat to the health of consumers.
Wildlife authorities in the USA are detecting elevated levels of a class of toxic chemicals in wild animals such as deer – and this is leading to health warnings in some areas.
Authorities in several states, including Michigan and Maine, where legions of hobby hunters seek to bag a deer every autumn, have found high concentrations of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in game meat. PFAS, also known as «forever chemicals» due to their persistence in the environment, are industrial compounds used in numerous products such as non-stick cookware and clothing.
The US Environmental Protection Agency made efforts last year to curb pollution from these chemicals, which have been linked to health problems such as cancer and low birth weight.
The discovery of the chemicals in wild animals hunted for sport and food presents a new challenge, however, one that some states are addressing by issuing consumption advisories for game and fish and expanding testing for PFAS in these animals.
The chemicals enter the environment through the production of consumer goods and waste. They have also been used in firefighting foam and in agriculture. Sewage sludge contaminated with PFAS has long been applied to fields as fertiliser and compost.
Further testing is likely to reveal that the chemicals are also present in wild animals other than deer, such as wild turkeys and fish.
