MINNEAPOLIS -- It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family's unique meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital instead. The celebration happened in summer 2022, according to the account in the latest edition of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report . An extended family - unnamed in the report - came from across the country for a reunion in South Dakota.
One family member, a hunter, brought some black bear meat that he had harvested in northern Saskatchewan in May 2022. The hunter said that the hunting outfitter had recommended freezing the meat to kill any potential parasites. The meat had been frozen for 45 days before it was thawed, and the family grilled it with some vegetables and served it as kebabs.
Freezing can kill some parasites commonly found in black bears, but according to the World Organisation for Animal Health , some species of parasites are freeze-tolerant. Bears and other wildlife including wild boar, wolves and squirrels can often get sick with trichinellosis, a serious disease caused by parasitic roundworms of the genus Trichinella, but they will often appear perfectly healthy. When butchering the meat, it would be difficult to tell if it was contaminated because there are few signs of the parasite.
Many wildlife experts tell bear hunters to consider all bear meat infected, and the CDC recommends cooking the meat thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahren.
