With the archery season in full swing and the firearm season soon to come, Michigan officials are reminding hunters to follow food safety guidelines when processing and preparing venison.

"Following safe handling and processing protocols when butchering and packaging wild game is vital to protecting yourself from foodborne illness," said Don Koivisto, Michigan Department of Agriculture director. "Applying these food safety principles also minimizes a processor's risk of exposure to bacteria, viruses, and parasites."

Custom game processing provisions for MDA-licensed and inspected facilities include, but aren't limited to:

General Storage and Processing

Processing of hunter-owned deer or feral swine must take place after all commercial food handling has ceased to eliminate the potential for cross contamination of other food.

All processing and handling equipment, food contact surfaces, floors, and garments must be washed and sanitized immediately after processing. Processing of commercial foods cannot take place until these activities are done.

Processors must inspect all carcasses to make sure they are identified with appropriate tags and free of signs of illness and visible decomposition or contamination.

Carcasses should be stored at or below 41 degrees and processing must be conducted using "first in, first out" rotation.

Rubber or disposable gloves in good condition must be worn.

Venison products must be clearly marked, identified with name of owner, stamped "Not for Sale," and segregated from commercial meat and foods.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) - Specific Precautions

Minimize handling and cutting of brain, spinal tissues, and lymph nodes.

Bone-out meat from deer, removing fat and connective tissue.

Heads, legs, and other body parts, unless returned to hunter, must be properly disposed of in a licensed incinerator or buried in a licensed landfill.

(If hunters are hunting in the nine-township CWD surveillance zone in Kent County, please consult the DNR's web site at www.michigan.gov/dnrhunting for specific regulations regarding deer harvested in that area.)

Feral Swine (Wild Pigs)

Gloves should be worn when field-dressing feral swine, especially in the Northeastern Lower Michigan Bovine Tuberculosis area.

If the lungs, ribcage or internal organs from feral swine look abnormal (multiple tan or yellow lumps), the meat should not be eaten. Take the carcass to a DNR field office for proper disposal to prevent disease transmission to other animals.

Meats from feral swine, should be thoroughly cooked to an internal temperature of 170 degrees to kill parasites.

Other

Individuals who are not required to be licensed or inspected by the state, but are processing and preparing venison at private sites, should follow similar food safety practices, including:

Washing hands, utensils, and food contact surfaces with hot, soapy water often, and especially before and after handling meat.

Holding meat at or below 41 degrees at all times. If meat will not be consumed or processed within three to five days, it should be frozen. Meat should be thawed in the refrigerator and never thawed at room temperature.

Using a food thermometer when cooking meat to ensure the food has reached a temperature sufficient to destroy any harmful organisms causing foodborne illness. Both ground and fresh venison should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Information on deer handling or field dressing is available from the DNR by calling (517) 373-9358 or visiting www.michigan.gov/dnr.