Lead in Venison

In March 2008, the North Dakota departments of Health, Agriculture, and Game and Fish advised food pantries across the state not to distribute or use donated ground venison because of the discovery of contamination with lead fragments.

In May 2008, the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a study measuring the risk, if any, of eating wild game harvested with lead bullets. A total of 738 North Dakotans volunteered to have their blood tested for the presence of lead.

The study was designed to determine whether people who eat wild game have higher blood lead levels than people who don't. Although no single study is definitive, the results of this study are expected to provide the North Dakota Department of Health with an estimate of the risk to health of consuming wild game that has been taken with lead bullets. By using the results of this study and studies ongoing in other states, we expect to be able to provide recommendations to hunters about the safety of consuming wild game for themselves and for their families and the best ways to minimize any risk.

The CDC currently is analyzing the blood samples that were submitted. They plan to notify study participants of the results of their blood lead level tests in August, and they expect to have preliminary study results completed by this fall.

Copyright © 2005 North Dakota Department of Health

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