Implementations of Regulation (EC) no. 853/2004 on wild game in the Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy) in the period 2006-2012

In the Emilia-Romagna Region (ERR) the number of wild ungulates hunted from 1989 to 2011 progressively increased from 1,640 to 37,697. This growth has been accompanied by an official system of mandatory training for hunters and since 2011 an official procedure to train persons (hunters) in the health and hygiene of wild game, according to the Regulation (EC) no. 853/2004 has been offered (EC, 2004). The educational programme on the health and hygiene of game was developed in 2006 by a volunteer multidisciplinary team which offered its formative documents and recommendations both to the Veterinary Service and the Game Bureau of ERR. The spread of official courses and the online availability of educational material generated great interest in 'good game handling practices' and in providing chilling rooms in hunting lodges, which were not in use before the implementation of Regulation (EC) no. 853/2004 (EC, 2004). A new awareness about the safety and quality of game meat is spreading among hunters, consumers and restaurant owners too. The latter is increasing the level of quality of home cooking in the families of hunters, and is causing restaurants to move away from traditional recipes based on the time consuming preparation of cooking sauces. The number of persons trained in health and hygiene has reached 7% of provincial hunters, but there is still room for improvement. References 279