A family reunion in South Dakota took a dangerous turn when several members of an extended family fell ill after consuming black bear meat at a summer celebration in 2022. The incident, detailed in the latest edition of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, shed light on the risks associated with consuming wild game meat.
The black bear meat, brought by a family member who had hunted it in northern Saskatchewan, had been frozen for 45 days before being grilled and served as kebabs. Despite efforts to freeze the meat to kill potential parasites, freezing may not eliminate all parasites, as some species are freeze-tolerant.
