Ammunition lead poses risks – food safety management options in commercial wild game meat chain in Sweden

The cumulative burden from hunting ammunitions lead should be mitigated. The purpose of our study was to follow up the effect of advice from the Swedish Food Agency, (SFA) regarding lead ammunition residues in game meat. Samples of minced moose (Alces alces) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) meat produced at minced meat premises integrated with game handling establishments in Sweden were analysed at SFA by dissolving any lead residues in dilute nitric acid and determination of lead in the extract by ICP-MS. A total of 200 samples of minced moose (50 pcs/2019 and 50 pcs/2022) and wild boar meat (50 pcs/2019 and 50 pcs/ 2022) were analysed. The amount of lead has not decreased from 2019 to 2022 despite the repeated advice from SFA and hunters’ organisations. In total in 2019 17% (0.17, 95% Confidence interval, C.I., 0.10;0.26) and in 2022 20% (0.20, 95% C.I., 0.13;0.29) of samples exceeded 100 µg lead/kg, the maximum level for lead in beef, pig, and poultry in European Union (EU) regulations. Thus, no effect of the advice could be seen. Risk management should focus on developing regulations on the European Union level to decrease the use of lead ammunition. Game meat food business operators should review their shot carcass cleaning routines and official control should focus on these routines together with regular sampling of minced meat in retail and industry. Information campaigns concerning the negative effects of ammunition lead should be launched to support the whole chain from hunters to consumers.