CWD safe to eat or not?

[M70375!]

I just found out the elk I killed tested positive for chronic wasting disease. Unfortunately my cooler stopped working and I had to take it to town and have it processed immediately and was unable to wait for the test to come back before processing it. As far as I can tell there has never been a case of it transmitting to humans, but the CDC says not to eat it. I got $864 in the processing and I really hate to throw it away. What do you guys think? Eat or throw.

 

[Betterinthebush]

No data supports transmission from ruminants to humans.

That said; is your life worth $864.00?

 

[Datchew]

Very interested in this topic.

Virus or bacteria, denatured is denatured.

I have a background in genetics and biology and I'm interested to see thoughts on this matter.

 

[Flbt]

I just found out the elk I killed tested positive for chronic wasting disease. Unfortunately my cooler stopped working and I had to take it to town and have it processed immediately and was unable to wait for the test to come back before processing it. As far as I can tell there has never been a case of it transmitting to humans, but the CDC says not to eat it. I got $864 in the processing and I really hate to throw it away. What do you guys think? Eat or throw.

I don’t know
They say there never been a case spread to people.
But my state ag agency siad they would not recommend eating it. If it tested positive.
My Boligest friend said they would not eat game that tested positive.

I don’t know.
I do know if I was to try it and see. I sure would not serve the meat to family and friends though.

 

[wesheltonj]

From Wikipedia,


“CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) affecting deer. TSEs are a family of diseases caused by misfolded proteins called prions and include similar diseases such as BSE (mad cow disease) in cattle, Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease(CJD) in humans, and scrapie in sheep. . . . In April 2024, it was revealed that two men from the same hunting group contracted Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, prompting medical researchers to speculate transmission had occurred from consuming CWD-positive venison.”

I would not touch it much less eat it.

 

[Frostbite]

I'd eat it.

I don't even think it's a gamble.

 

[Neil Molendyk]

I'm no expert in the matter but I do know that in eastern Alberta CWD is prevalent and increasing in occurrences. I'm sure that in the past there have been numerous mule deer hunted and consumed by humans without their knowledge of CWD and I have never heard of transmitting it to humans. The question that I have to ask is "What was the body condition of your elk? Did it seem to you that it was in healthy condition in your opinion or sickly? When it was processed was the spinal cord removed and all the bone removed? From what I understand that is where the prions are. Even in beef in Alberta, if the stock is over 30 months of age, all spinal cord and bone must be removed during slaughter to qualify for human consumption.

 

[Field28]

Curious about this as well. We're currently the only state east of the Mississippi that hasn't have a deer test positive I believe.

As far as advise from the CDC goes, 2020 still pretty fresh in the mind.

 

[Betterinthebush]

CWD is the primary reason I don’t process wild game in my plants. I can’t take a risk of having products in the plant condemned due to a positive swab.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I wouldn’t. Maybe feed it to the dogs?

 

[Field28]

CWD is the primary reason I don’t process wild game in my plants. I can’t take a risk of having products in the plant condemned due to a positive swab.

99% of our deer processors will not process wild pigs for similar reasons.
DNR and DHEC mandate that all deer must be cleaned for the evening before they start on pigs. I've been told that brucelllocis is the main concern.

 

[Field28]

I wouldn’t. Maybe feed it to the dogs?

Only if they’re Boykins!!!

 

[Tgood1]

Get a pressure canner and start canning, no microorganism, bacteria, virus survive, and quite delicious

 

[Tucketed]

Your actually asking?

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I don’t think I would eat it. That said I am pretty uninformed on the subject, I just don’t think I could bring myself to.

 

[375Fox]

It’s difficult to tell someone yes or no. If it looked healthy when you took it I’d eat it. I think it will be more common than many realize. Anyone that gets processed meats made will have parts of other hunter’s animals in the meat they get back and it will be processed on the same equipment.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Get a pressure canner and start canning, no microorganism, bacteria, virus survive, and quite delicious

I don’t know? I’ve read that heat doesn’t kill the prions in CWD.

 

[375Fox]

Virus or bacteria, denatured is denatured.

I have a background in genetics and biology and I'm interested to see thoughts on this matter.

It’s neither a virus or bacteria. It’s a prion disease affecting protein molecules.

 

[Field28]

I'd be confident if it were cooked to a certain temperature like a ground or sausage. Shame on the tloins and backstrap!

 

[Field28]

I don’t know? I’ve read that heat doesn’t kill the prions in CWD.

Well, that shot my last post all to hell!