Why not eat wild boar meat? Understanding the health risks

November 8, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the CDC, people who eat raw or undercooked meat from certain animals, including wild boar, can contract trichinellosis. This potentially fatal parasitic disease is just one of many significant health concerns that underscore why not to eat wild boar meat unless you take strict safety measures.

Quick Summary

Wild boar meat carries significant risks, including bacterial and parasitic infections like trichinellosis and brucellosis, and environmental contaminants like heavy metals. Proper handling and cooking are essential to mitigate these serious health hazards.

Key Points

Parasites: Wild boar can carry Trichinella and Toxoplasma gondii, which can cause severe illness or death if the meat is not properly cooked.
Bacteria: Wild boar are known reservoirs for bacterial diseases like brucellosis, salmonella, and E. coli.
Environmental Contaminants: Due to their diet and foraging habits, wild boar can accumulate dangerous levels of heavy metals and other environmental toxins in their tissue.
Inadequate Processing: The lack of a regulated slaughtering process increases the risk of carcass contamination during field dressing and butchering by hunters.
Ineffective Freezing: Unlike with domestic pork, freezing wild boar meat is not always an effective kill step for certain freeze-resistant parasitic worms.
Proper Cooking is Essential: The only reliable way to kill most pathogens in wild boar meat is to cook it to a safe, high internal temperature, ensuring no pinkness remains.

The Hidden Dangers: Bacteria, Parasites, and Viruses

Wild boars, also known as feral hogs, are a reservoir for numerous pathogens that can be transmitted to humans. Unlike commercially raised pork, which is subject to strict sanitary controls, wild boar meat comes with a high degree of uncertainty regarding its health and safety. A hunter has no way of knowing what the animal has been exposed to, making vigilance during handling and cooking crucial.

Parasitic Threats: The Risk of Trichinellosis

One of the most well-known dangers associated with wild boar is the risk of contracting trichinellosis, caused by the larvae of the parasitic roundworm, Trichinella. Humans become infected by eating raw, undercooked, or improperly processed wild boar meat that contains these larvae. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that this infection, while rare in the U.S., can cause severe symptoms including nausea, diarrhea, fever, and muscle pain, and in serious cases, can be fatal.

List of Parasitic Dangers:

Trichinellosis: Caused by microscopic Trichinella larvae in the muscle tissue. Freezing game meat is not always an effective kill step for wild strains of this parasite.
Toxoplasmosis: A disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which wild boars can carry. Symptoms often include high fever and diarrhea.
Cysticercosis: Another parasitic concern, with wild boars known to carry the larval stage of tapeworms.

Bacterial Infections: Brucellosis and More

Brucellosis is a bacterial disease that wild boars and feral hogs are known to carry. Humans can contract the bacteria through contact with an infected animal's blood, fluids, or tissues, particularly during field dressing or butchering. Symptoms often include fever, chills, weight loss, and joint and muscle pain, and can appear weeks or months after exposure.

Other bacterial risks include:

Hepatitis E Virus (HEV): This virus is carried by wild boar populations and can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of infected, undercooked meat, particularly liver.
Salmonella and E. coli: These bacteria can easily contaminate a wild boar carcass during unhygienic field dressing and butchering practices.
Tuberculosis: In some regions, wild boars have been identified as reservoirs for Mycobacterium bovis, posing a risk of transmission to both livestock and humans.

Environmental Contaminants and Toxins

Wild boars are effective indicators of environmental pollution due to their omnivorous diet and habit of rooting in the soil. This foraging behavior exposes them to various toxins and contaminants that can accumulate in their meat and organs, especially the liver and kidneys.

Accumulation of Heavy Metals and Other Pollutants

Studies have shown high levels of heavy metals like lead and cadmium in wild boar meat and organs. These metals accumulate over the animal's lifetime, meaning older animals may have higher concentrations. For example, research found significant levels of PFAS chemicals, a toxic group of persistent pollutants, in the livers of wild boar in a national park.

Table: Domestic vs. Wild Boar Meat Risks


Feature	Farm-Raised Domestic Pork	Wild Boar / Feral Hog
Parasites	Risk significantly reduced by modern farming standards.	High risk, including freeze-resistant strains of Trichinella and other parasites.
Bacterial Diseases	Controlled environment with veterinary oversight reduces risk.	Exposure to pathogens like Brucellosis and Hepatitis E is common.
Heavy Metals/Toxins	Monitored feed and environment minimize exposure.	Omnivorous diet and rooting behavior lead to accumulation of environmental toxins.
Contamination Control	Regulated slaughterhouse processes ensure hygiene.	Field dressing and butchering by hunters increase risk of contamination.
Testing Requirements	No mandatory testing for parasites in most areas.	Mandatory or recommended testing for Trichinella in some areas when selling meat.

Conclusion: Prioritizing Safety Over Scarcity

While wild boar meat is a popular game meat for its distinct flavor, the risks associated with its consumption are considerable and cannot be ignored. The unregulated nature of wild animals means a higher likelihood of carrying pathogens and accumulating environmental toxins compared to commercially farmed pork. To minimize risk, hunters must practice extreme caution, including wearing protective gear, performing sanitary field dressing, and thoroughly cooking the meat to a safe internal temperature. Relying on methods like freezing or curing is often insufficient, especially for hardy parasites like Trichinella. For those considering consuming wild boar, the safest practice is to assume the animal is infected and take every necessary precaution to protect against severe, potentially fatal diseases. For more in-depth food safety guidance for wild game, resources from government health authorities are essential, such as the CDC's guidance on wild game consumption.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most significant risk is contracting trichinellosis, a parasitic disease caused by microscopic roundworms in the meat. This infection can cause severe illness and, in rare cases, can be fatal.

Yes, thorough cooking is the most reliable method for making wild boar meat safe to eat. The USDA and other health bodies recommend cooking game meat to a safe internal temperature, as heat effectively kills most parasites and bacteria.

Yes, handling wild boar carcasses poses a risk of bacterial infection, especially brucellosis. You can be exposed through contact with the animal's blood, fluids, or tissues, so wearing protective gear like gloves is highly recommended.

Freezing is not a reliable method for killing all parasites in wild boar meat. Unlike some strains in domestic pork, certain Trichinella parasites found in wild game are freeze-resistant, making cooking the only consistently safe option.

Wild boars live in unregulated, uncontrolled environments where they are exposed to more pathogens and environmental contaminants. Domestic pork is raised in controlled conditions and subject to regular veterinary checks and processing standards that mitigate health risks.

Studies have detected heavy metals like lead and cadmium, as well as persistent chemical pollutants like PFAS, in the meat and organs of wild boars due to their omnivorous diet and foraging habits.

Hunters should wear gloves and eye protection when field dressing and butchering. They should also use clean tools, avoid cross-contaminating raw meat with cooked food, and thoroughly wash all equipment afterward.