Exploring the Microbial Contamination and Hygiene Issues in Wild Boar Meat from Unregulated Evisceration Facilities

Private domestic production and hunters supplying meat to consumers or local retailers are exempt from Regulation CE 853/2004, with oversight managed by Member States or regional authorities. In Campania Region, Italy, hunters must take carcasses to registered collection centres under Regulation CE 852/2004, but establishments for eviscerating wild boars for private consumption face no specific requirements. In Campania, with 300 hunting teams and only 25 registered establishments, most wild boars are likely eviscerated in unregulated facilities. To assess the risk to humans, we analysed the microbial population of carcasses eviscerated in these facilities and compared them with those processed in collection centres. Overall, we observed a high bacterial load (mean = 5.88 Log CFU/cm2) on wild boar carcasses, highlighting the need for improved slaughter hygiene. Data on bacterial enumeration, published in 2022, showed that meat from private domestic slaughter tends to have lower hygienic quality. Carcasses from registered premises exhibited lower mesophilic counts, meeting the EU Regulation 2073/2005 criterium for pork, compared to those from non-registered premises. Moreover, the results suggested that wild boar may serve as a reservoir for pathogenic E. coli, as Enteropathogenic E. coli, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli were frequently detected on the carcasses, raising potential public health concerns. Based on preliminary results from bacterial identification, Escherichia, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus species were frequently identified among the mesophilic population using MALDI-TOF. However, microbial species did not appear to be influenced by the premises where the carcasses were processed. In conclusion, the absence of regulation for wild boar evisceration in private facilities increases health risks due to absence of hygiene controls, underscoring the need for stricter oversight to ensure meat safety.