Black bear trichinosis

[slovakien_12]

Hey guys, I shot a bear last weekend in a remote area out of PG. Due to a recent case of trichinosis in kelowna my mom will not cook any of the meat until I get the meat tested. I love bear meat and I dont want it to go to waste. I told her that the meat has to be cooked at 160 F to kill any parasites but that is not good enough. Does anyone know where to go to get the meat tested in PG? Any insight is appreciated.

[moosinaround]

Cook it yourself! No need to share then! Not too much of an issue if you cook it to the proper temperatures! Moosin

[BiG Boar]

Does she get all of her pork tested for tric as well?

[nolimits]

Since this thread is already started, anyone knows where trichinosis testing can be done in Lower Mainland area? Also, how reliable is freezing bear meat to get rid of it? Any info will be greatly appreciated.Thanks.

[Knute]

Since this thread is already started, anyone knows where trichinosis testing can be done in Lower Mainland area? Also, how reliable is freezing bear meat to get rid of it? Any info will be greatly appreciated.Thanks.


There is a sticky thread in the"Wild Game Recipes" forum to answer your question...

[nolimits]

Thanks Knute. I am checking this out right now.

[835]

Cook till 170deg and Trich is dead. no problem a meat thermometer wont cure. Seriously. Google it. "Kill trichinosis bear"

[hunterdon]

Trichinosis is a disease caused by a worm (trichinae) which are carried in the intestines of some animals such as bears and pigs. The slender worm lives in the intestines, but it's larvae travels through the blood stream and into the meat. While bears and pigs are carriers of the worms, they are immune to the disease and do not get trichinosis themselves.

According to research, it is estimated that about 50 percent of bears carry the worm. So, with that said, I wouldn't bother testing, I would just assume that the bear is infected.

The question is how to safely consume the meat?

There are 2 methods to safeguard against the disease.
1- the meat must reach a temperature of at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 5 minutes, which is not hard to do. Definitely no rare steaks!
2-The other safeguard is to freeze the meat for several weeks before consuming. The larvae eventually die.

So, this is what I do. 1-the meat goes into the freezer for 1 month before I even cook the first steak.
2- I cook meat thoroughly. (No rare steaks for me. Actually, I think it's a good idea not to eat any meat cooked rare.)

For your mom. I and my family have been eating bear meat for over 50 years now without any problems. Bear meat is very healthy, as all wild meat is. To be quite honest, the growth hormones and antibiotics in meat found in our grocery supermarkets is a much greater risk to our health than any wild meat and that includes bear. Bottom line, don't worry, use common sense. No rare steaks!

[Gateholio]

Does she get all of her pork tested for tric as well?

Trich has been virtually eliminated from the domestic pig producers. The big cimpanies that sell to grocery stores, anyway.

[silvertipp]

(No rare steaks for me. Actually, I think it's a good idea not to eat any meat cooked rare.)

Bad statement,Certain meets must be well done ,but if you cook any of my deer,elk moose or even beef well done you,ll be hangin on my meat poll

[Goliath]

All meat (http://www.huntingbc.ca/wiki/Meat) (including pork) can be safely prepared by cooking to an internal temperature of 165 °F (http://www.huntingbc.ca/wiki/Fahrenheit) (74 °C (http://www.huntingbc.ca/wiki/Celsius)) or more for 15 seconds or more.



Wild game: Wild game meat must be cooked thoroughly. Freezing wild game does not kill all trichinosis larval worms. This is because the worm species that typically infests wild game can resist freezing.



Pork (http://www.huntingbc.ca/wiki/Pork): Freezing cuts of pork less than 6 inches thick for 20 days at 5 °F (−15 °C) or three days at −4 °F (−20 °C) kills T. spiralis larval worms but will not kill other trichinosis larval worm species such as T. nativa if they have infested your pork food supply (which is unlikely).

[Steeleco]

According to research, it is estimated that about 50 percent of bears carry the worm. I gotta call BS on that piece of science, I've seen a lot of bears on my plate and non of them had any signs of tric, only one bear was unfit to eat. The one in my avatar, but he resides on my wall now so it wasn't a total waste.

[coquitlam]

There is a government place in Abbotsford right beside the #1 Freeway. It`s the office building that looks like a barn. Go online and google I think it was about $45 to test . You bring the tongue

[nuadixion]

Trich has been virtually eliminated from the domestic pig producers. The big cimpanies that sell to grocery stores, anyway.

Then why do you have to cook pork to "well done"?

[Barracuda]

who says you have to do that?

[Gateholio]

Then why do you have to cook pork to "well done"?

You don't have to unless you want to.

[Glenny]

I like my red meats pinkish reddish. Pork is better compleyely cooked just like chicken..Watch out chickenosis in chicken.

[nuadixion]

You don't have to unless you want to.
I was under the impression that it has to be well done. I do not buy much of it but I thought there are warning labels on the packaging (?) All commercial pork and chicken "handle with care ...wash your hands after touching meat...cook thoroughly " etc.

[The Dawg]

When I was a kid, you had to cook it to well done. With the virtual removal of all trich from commercial facilities, you dont have to anymore.

The warning labels are to promote food safe and cross contamination, but some people like to freak out about it.

Its kinda like the 'Caution, hot contents' label we see on Tim's coffee.

We allllllllll know its hot, and shouldnt crotch it, but some need a reminder.

[nuadixion]

When I was a kid, you had to cook it to well done. With the virtual removal of all trich from commercial facilities, you dont have to anymore.

The warning labels are to promote food safe and cross contamination, but some people like to freak out about it.

Its kinda like the 'Caution, hot contents' label we see on Tim's coffe?

We allllllllll know its hot, and shouldnt crotch it, but some need a reminder.

But why those warning labels do not appear on beef or lamb products...?

Steak tartar i would have no problem eating out of beef or lamb (venison I do all the time) but pork I would not even consider it....am i missing out?

[Bowzone_Mikey]

But why those warning labels do not appear on beef or lamb products...?

Steak tartar i would have no problem eating out of beef or lamb (venison I do all the time) but pork I would not even consider it....am i missing out?

actually they do have warnings .... I am presently looking at a steak package from Save-on-foods .... it has 4 warnings on the back ... kepp refrigerated...keep raw meat and poultry separate from other foods...Cook Thorouly...keep hot foods hot

In todays world of stupidity and lack of individual thinking as well as lawsuits as well as lawsuits over Hot coffee from McDonalds there are warning labels on everything .... espcially products ment for public consumption

[Gateholio]

From the pork association:

http://www.putporkonyourfork.com/all_about_pork/cooking_pork/temperature.html


s done at 71! Pork need not be overcooked. In the past, it was recommended that pork be cooked "very well" to be safe, because of the risk of trichinosis. This, unfortunately, often resulted in dry, tough meat, and some people still associate pork with this negative experience. Fortunately, with improved food safety knowledge and better production methods in Canada, trichinosis is no longer a risk in Canadian pork. We now know pork can be cooked safely to (160°F/71°C) or less, which produces a juicy and tender product. When cooked to this temperature, pork may still have just a hint of pink in the middle, for instance inside a cooked roast or very thick chop. The exception is ground pork and sausage, which like all ground meats, should be cooked thoroughly.

[nuadixion]

I have been told that pigs tend to eat all kinds of thing that crawl, walk or run by them (ie mice and rats),so how that association can guarantee the quality of meat? Commercially produced ground meat has to be well cooked mainly because of feces contamination .

[Gateholio]

I have been told that pigs tend to eat all kinds of thing that crawl, walk or run by them (ie mice and rats),so how that association can guarantee the quality of meat? Commercially produced ground meat has to be well cooked mainly because of feces contamination .

How would the consumption of mice affect the quality of pork meat?

[newton]

hey,I just got a bear two and its at least 22 years old and im eating the meat right now from it,but u have to cook it well everytime and u will have no problems.Plus chances are slim your bear has it ,if it looks healthy than it is healthy!!

[Bobfl]

I agree , all bears have trick, I have being eating bear for twenty years. I am still here. Freeze for a month before using, works for me, and don't let your mom eat it, she could die of trick infestation

[Gateholio]

I agree , all bears have trick, I have being eating bear for twenty years. I am still here. Freeze for a month before using, works for me, and don't let your mom eat it, she could die of trick infestation


Freezing will not reliably kill trichinosis in bear meat. Only cooking well done will do that.

[hunterdon]

I gotta call BS on that piece of science, I've seen a lot of bears on my plate and non of them had any signs of tric, only one bear was unfit to eat. The one in my avatar, but he resides on my wall now so it wasn't a total waste.

Sounds like 50 percent is a high figure for your area. That's great. However numerous studies have been done in many different areas over the years across North America with vastly different results. It all depends on what the bears are feeding on. For example it is usually only carnivores which harbor the worm as it must be ingested from eating contaminated meat. Hence the infection rate will vary widely with bears depending upon what the bears are feeding on in their area. Of course, it will also depend on if the meat they are eating is indeed contaminated or not.

The link below shows a sampling of tests done in recent years with wolves, black bears and grizzlies. In this case the black bears were not badly infected, but the grizzly's rated at 73 percent infection rate. The bottom line is it all depends on the area infection rate.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21719845

[nuadixion]

How would the consumption of mice affect the quality of pork meat?
apparently they might carry disease and or parasites which could affect the meat (?)
All I am trying to say is that bear meat is just as safe if not safer (because i know how it has been handled ) than commercially produced stuff.

[Gateholio]

apparently they might carry disease and or parasites which could affect the meat (?)
All I am trying to say is that bear meat is just as safe if not safer (because i know how it has been handled ) than commercially produced stuff.

Sure, bear meat is safe if you cook it properly. I wouldn't cook bear to medium the way I cook pork though.

[Ioneth]

I have been told that pigs tend to eat all kinds of thing that crawl, walk or run by them (ie mice and rats),so how that association can guarantee the quality of meat? Commercially produced ground meat has to be well cooked mainly because of feces contamination .

Pigs are omnivores so they probably would if hungry and given the chance.

I'm confused about how shit gets into the packaged product. I just googled and apparently cows don't really eat their shit and if they did it would just get digested again

[Gateholio]

I'm confused about how shit gets into the packaged product. I just googled and apparently cows don't really eat their shit and if they did it would just get digested again

Shit can sometimes contaminate the exterior of meat during the slaughtering process. If E Coli is on the outside of the meat (like with a steak or roast) i gets killed when cooked. When the meat is ground, the E Coli can get ground into the middle of the ground beef, so if a burger is cooked rare, E Coli may not be killed.

[Ioneth]

I never thought about that. I did see a cow get skinned once and they make sure the outside doesn't touch the inside. Like the saying goes shit happens :)

[Papa Sasquatch]

I like my trichinosis well done.

I make what i call BearGuignon.
a stew based on the beef bourguignon slow cooker stew with Red wine. (Jackson Triggs Merlot)
it is freaken delicious, takes little work and is ready i 4 hours.
a trichinosis death bath.

my concern is while gutting my cinnamon last Wednesday morning i did a 1cm cut on my right thumb that drew blood!
Will i turn into a zombie?

[Riverbc]

http://www.biggamehunt.net/news/black-bear-hunters-must-keep-meat

The regulation applies unless the meat is determined to contain trichinella. Trichinella is a parasitic disease found in 15 percent of Montana's black bears. An optional free-of-charge testing service for trichinella is offered through Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

[Brno22F]

Trichinosis is a disease caused by a worm (trichinae) which are carried in the intestines of some animals such as bears and pigs. The slender worm lives in the intestines, but it's larvae travels through the blood stream and into the meat. While bears and pigs are carriers of the worms, they are immune to the disease and do not get trichinosis themselves.

According to research, it is estimated that about 50 percent of bears carry the worm. So, with that said, I wouldn't bother testing, I would just assume that the bear is infected.

The question is how to safely consume the meat?

There are 2 methods to safeguard against the disease.
1- the meat must reach a temperature of at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 5 minutes, which is not hard to do. Definitely no rare steaks!
2-The other safeguard is to freeze the meat for several weeks before consuming. The larvae eventually die.

So, this is what I do. 1-the meat goes into the freezer for 1 month before I even cook the first steak.
2- I cook meat thoroughly. (No rare steaks for me. Actually, I think it's a good idea not to eat any meat cooked rare.)

For your mom. I and my family have been eating bear meat for over 50 years now without any problems. Bear meat is very healthy, as all wild meat is. To be quite honest, the growth hormones and antibiotics in meat found in our grocery supermarkets is a much greater risk to our health than any wild meat and that includes bear. Bottom line, don't worry, use common sense. No rare steaks!

Yes sir! What Hunterdon says!
There is an old saying about pork and it also applies to bear meat. "Better a burnt offering than a bloody sacrifice."

[Doug Palmer]

Here's an excellent article about trichinosis in game: http://honest-food.net/2015/03/02/on-trichinosis-in-wild-game

Doug