This study investigates the microbiological conditions before maturation of wild boar meat (Sus scrofa) processed in approved game handling establishments in Italy. Fillets and legquarters of 37 carcasses were tested to assess Aerobic Colony Count (ACC), Enterobacteriaceae Count (EC) and Salmonella presence.Salmonella was never found and mean values of ACC and EC were 4.67±1.78 SD and 2.60±1.58 SD log CFU/cm 2 , respectively. Both ACC and EC increased with time between evisceration and skinning, were significantly higher in fillets and when meat was processed by untrained operators. ACC also increased with boars' weight and when carcasses were cleaned with running potable water. Based on limits set by EU Regulation No 1441/2007 for pork meat, most legquarters resulted satisfactory or acceptable (59% for ACC and 70% for EC), while most fillets were unsatisfactory (76% ACC, 78% EC). Results show that the wild game meat supply chain can be a safe process when handling practices reported in European and National regulations are met. Highlight: Legquarters microbiological load was mostly within the EU limits set for pork meat  None of the samples showed Salmonella contamination  Washing with running water worsens the microbiological quality of carcasses  Microbial contamination increases with time between evisceration and skinning  Correct training of operators reduces microbial contamination 2

The interest in certified game meat chains highlights the need for the evaluation and the management of factors affecting carcass hygiene along the peculiar steps of the production. The effects of time and temperature before chilling were specifically evaluated on aerobic colony count and Enterobacteriaceae count in hunted wild boar carcasses. Thirty wild boars were considered in two process steps where the hunted animal are still not chilled: after evisceration and just before chilling. Environmental temperature, carcass temperature and the elapse time between the two-step considered were registered. Furthermore, surface microbial loads were analyzed on the inner part of the carcasses. The mean time between the two sampling steps was 6 hours with an average environmental temperature of 20.49°C. A carcass temperature 9.6°C drop was observed during this period. In this lap of time aerobic colony count and Enterobacteriaceae count increased of 0.68 Log CFU/cm2 and 1.01 Log CFU/cm2 respectively, with a moderate correlation with the time but not with the temperature delta. The results reveal that the temperature conditions in central Italy hunting areas were not able to quickly reduce the carcass temperature and therefore the time between carcass evisceration and chilling should not exceed 6 hours.

No abstract