Lead concentrations in wild boar from Sardinia: analysis of food safety concerns

A multitude of pathways within human food chains have been affected by the presence of lead (Pb) which has highly negative consequences on animal and human health. Numerous sources contribute to Pb exposure, and the use of Pb ammunition is considered one of the main unregulated means of releasing this hazardous metal into the game meat and environment. In addition to this, geogenic sources or anthropogenic activities could also result in higher contamination of game meat. Considering these aspects, the present study was carried out in wild boar (n = 53) from different hunting grounds in northern part of Sardinia (Italy) for evaluation of mean residual levels in liver, spleen, and thigh muscle through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The highest mean concentration of Pb was estimated in liver (6.70 ± 34.87 mg/kg dw) followed by spleen (5.11 ± 22.36 mg/kg dw) and thigh muscle (2.67 ± 11.74 mg/kg dw). Concerning biological sexes, females (n = 27) had higher mean levels for all tissues, however, no differences were ascertained in the bioaccumulation of Pb. Among the age groups, adults had higher accumulation of Pb in all tissues compared to juveniles. Nevertheless, the level of Pb in both groups did not yield any accumulation pattern. Additionally, a moderate correlation was calculated for liver and spleen (0.643, p < 0.01) for Pb accumulation. The risk assessment revealed a very high risk to the hunters who frequently consume the game meals as margin of exposure for this group was very low. In comparison with EFSA guidelines, none of the samples was fully fit for human consumption which calls for inclusion of game meat in the EU regulation.