The potential for game meat edible by-products to contribute to food security in South Africa and risk assessment

Background: Game species could potentially contribute to providing nutritious animal source food for Africa’s expanding and under-nourished population. This study characterised the game meat value chain in South Africa in order to assess its potential to contributing to the nutrition of the rural p...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Heeb, A., McCrindle, C.M.E., Zárate, Anne Valle, Ramrajh, S., Grace, Delia, Siegmund-Schultze, M.
Format: Conference Paper
Language:Inglés
Published: 2011
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/12455
_version_ 1855543534667431936
author Heeb, A.
McCrindle, C.M.E.
Zárate, Anne Valle
Ramrajh, S.
Grace, Delia
Siegmund-Schultze, M.
author_browse Grace, Delia
Heeb, A.
McCrindle, C.M.E.
Ramrajh, S.
Siegmund-Schultze, M.
Zárate, Anne Valle
author_facet Heeb, A.
McCrindle, C.M.E.
Zárate, Anne Valle
Ramrajh, S.
Grace, Delia
Siegmund-Schultze, M.
author_sort Heeb, A.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Background: Game species could potentially contribute to providing nutritious animal source food for Africa’s expanding and under-nourished population. This study characterised the game meat value chain in South Africa in order to assess its potential to contributing to the nutrition of the rural poor as well as the food safety risks which might constrain this. Methods: The study included individual casual game hunters and game harvesting for specialised abattoirs. Eight expert informants (casual game hunters) were interviewed and a structured observation of a game harvesting was conducted. This was triangulated with informal interviews with stakeholders and a participatory risk assessment was conducted and critical control points identified. A group interview was conducted with a rural community to explore their demand for game edible by-products. Casual game hunters tended to be of higher socio-economic levels and several had other occupations. All were male and most hunted on privately owned land not owned by themselves. For a minority, meat was not used (trophy hunts); most commonly it was sold to butcheries and/or supermarkets. Nearly all hunters either considered the market for edible by-products limited or had no opinion. Currently they give edible byproducts to farm workers or leave for scavengers. The game harvest was conducted by professional game hunters employed by a game abattoir. Animals were shot, and throats were cut within 3 minutes; they were taken to a mobile abattoir and eviscerated within 83 minutes of shooting. Edible by-products were left behind in the field. Results: The local community interviewed considered game meat to be an acceptable food. They said they would also eat edible by-products including heads and feet of game animals if provided legally and cheaply. Meat is stored by hanging from a tree or on the roof of huts but is not kept longer than overnight. It is cooked well and the group claimed never to have fallen ill after meat consumption. Using information from game hunters and game harvesters the game value chain was mapped diagrammatically showing actual and potential pathways for edible by-products. Qualitative risk assessment identified nine areas of concern which were could give rise to hazards which could in turn give rise to risks that were likely or highly. Risk estimates varied from highly unlikely to likely. Critical control points were also identified. Summary: In conclusion, our study suggests the large game industry in South Africa could potentially supply important quantities of edible by-products to local communities. Currently this opportunity is not being utilised, but qualitative risk assessment found that the food safety risks are not excessive and could be managed. Moreover local communities are also interested in consuming these products and practice risk-mitigating measures in preparing meat. However, for this to happen innovations are needed in the processing, handling and marketing of by-products.
format Conference Paper
id CGSpace12455
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2011
publishDateRange 2011
publishDateSort 2011
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace124552023-02-15T10:24:10Z The potential for game meat edible by-products to contribute to food security in South Africa and risk assessment Heeb, A. McCrindle, C.M.E. Zárate, Anne Valle Ramrajh, S. Grace, Delia Siegmund-Schultze, M. Background: Game species could potentially contribute to providing nutritious animal source food for Africa’s expanding and under-nourished population. This study characterised the game meat value chain in South Africa in order to assess its potential to contributing to the nutrition of the rural poor as well as the food safety risks which might constrain this. Methods: The study included individual casual game hunters and game harvesting for specialised abattoirs. Eight expert informants (casual game hunters) were interviewed and a structured observation of a game harvesting was conducted. This was triangulated with informal interviews with stakeholders and a participatory risk assessment was conducted and critical control points identified. A group interview was conducted with a rural community to explore their demand for game edible by-products. Casual game hunters tended to be of higher socio-economic levels and several had other occupations. All were male and most hunted on privately owned land not owned by themselves. For a minority, meat was not used (trophy hunts); most commonly it was sold to butcheries and/or supermarkets. Nearly all hunters either considered the market for edible by-products limited or had no opinion. Currently they give edible byproducts to farm workers or leave for scavengers. The game harvest was conducted by professional game hunters employed by a game abattoir. Animals were shot, and throats were cut within 3 minutes; they were taken to a mobile abattoir and eviscerated within 83 minutes of shooting. Edible by-products were left behind in the field. Results: The local community interviewed considered game meat to be an acceptable food. They said they would also eat edible by-products including heads and feet of game animals if provided legally and cheaply. Meat is stored by hanging from a tree or on the roof of huts but is not kept longer than overnight. It is cooked well and the group claimed never to have fallen ill after meat consumption. Using information from game hunters and game harvesters the game value chain was mapped diagrammatically showing actual and potential pathways for edible by-products. Qualitative risk assessment identified nine areas of concern which were could give rise to hazards which could in turn give rise to risks that were likely or highly. Risk estimates varied from highly unlikely to likely. Critical control points were also identified. Summary: In conclusion, our study suggests the large game industry in South Africa could potentially supply important quantities of edible by-products to local communities. Currently this opportunity is not being utilised, but qualitative risk assessment found that the food safety risks are not excessive and could be managed. Moreover local communities are also interested in consuming these products and practice risk-mitigating measures in preparing meat. However, for this to happen innovations are needed in the processing, handling and marketing of by-products. 2011-09-15 2011-12-04T06:47:10Z 2011-12-04T06:47:10Z Conference Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/12455 en Limited Access Heeb, A., McCrindle, C.M.E., Zárate, A.V., Ramrajh, S., Grace, D. and Siegmund-Schultze, M. 2011. The potential for game meat edible by-products to contribute to food security in South Africa and risk assessment. Paper presented at the First International Congress on Pathogens at the Human-Animal Interface (ICOPHAI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 15-17 September 2011.
spellingShingle Heeb, A.
McCrindle, C.M.E.
Zárate, Anne Valle
Ramrajh, S.
Grace, Delia
Siegmund-Schultze, M.
The potential for game meat edible by-products to contribute to food security in South Africa and risk assessment
title The potential for game meat edible by-products to contribute to food security in South Africa and risk assessment
title_full The potential for game meat edible by-products to contribute to food security in South Africa and risk assessment
title_fullStr The potential for game meat edible by-products to contribute to food security in South Africa and risk assessment
title_full_unstemmed The potential for game meat edible by-products to contribute to food security in South Africa and risk assessment
title_short The potential for game meat edible by-products to contribute to food security in South Africa and risk assessment
title_sort potential for game meat edible by products to contribute to food security in south africa and risk assessment
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/12455
work_keys_str_mv AT heeba thepotentialforgamemeatediblebyproductstocontributetofoodsecurityinsouthafricaandriskassessment
AT mccrindlecme thepotentialforgamemeatediblebyproductstocontributetofoodsecurityinsouthafricaandriskassessment
AT zarateannevalle thepotentialforgamemeatediblebyproductstocontributetofoodsecurityinsouthafricaandriskassessment
AT ramrajhs thepotentialforgamemeatediblebyproductstocontributetofoodsecurityinsouthafricaandriskassessment
AT gracedelia thepotentialforgamemeatediblebyproductstocontributetofoodsecurityinsouthafricaandriskassessment
AT siegmundschultzem thepotentialforgamemeatediblebyproductstocontributetofoodsecurityinsouthafricaandriskassessment
AT heeba potentialforgamemeatediblebyproductstocontributetofoodsecurityinsouthafricaandriskassessment
AT mccrindlecme potentialforgamemeatediblebyproductstocontributetofoodsecurityinsouthafricaandriskassessment
AT zarateannevalle potentialforgamemeatediblebyproductstocontributetofoodsecurityinsouthafricaandriskassessment
AT ramrajhs potentialforgamemeatediblebyproductstocontributetofoodsecurityinsouthafricaandriskassessment
AT gracedelia potentialforgamemeatediblebyproductstocontributetofoodsecurityinsouthafricaandriskassessment
AT siegmundschultzem potentialforgamemeatediblebyproductstocontributetofoodsecurityinsouthafricaandriskassessment