Bear meat from northern Saskatchewan was found to have caused an outbreak of six trichinellosis cases in the United States in 2022, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A report released by the CDC last week said eight family members from Arizona, Minnesota and South Dakota shared a meal of grilled vegetables and black bear meat that had been frozen for 45 days.
The bear had been harvested by one of the family members in northern Saskatchewan.
One week later, six cases of trichinellosis were found after the meal, including two cases in people that ate only the vegetables.
One of the patients was hospitalized twice in a 17-day period.
Freeze-resistant trichinellosis larvae were found in the remaining frozen meat 15 weeks later.
The CDC said cooking meat to an internal temperature of 165 F or 74 C is the only way to kill trichinella parasites. Other foods, like the vegetables, can be cross-contaminated when cooked together.
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