Residual lead in edible tissues of red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) following removal of detectable pellets

In the European Union, game hunting is practiced by over 7 million hunters and generates more than €16 billion annually. However, the widespread use of lead (Pb) ammunition has made game meat the primary source of dietary Pb exposure, raising significant public health concerns. This study aimed to quantify and map the distribution of embedded Pb pellets in red-legged partridges and assess residual Pb content in prime edible meat portions (breast and leg), following the manual removal of all visible intact and nearly-intact Pb pellets. Each of the 40 specimens was radiographed in two anatomical planes to localize Pb contamination, followed by pellet removal and Pb quantification using ICP-OES. A total of 267 contamination points were identified, including 190 intact pellets and 77 fragmentation centers. Of these, 172 pellets and 48 fragmentation centers were located in breast and leg meat. Despite visible pellet removal, 57.5% of breast and 85% of leg samples exceeded the EU’s Maximum Residue Level (MRL) for Pb in livestock meat (0.1 mg/kg). Notably, 10% of breast and 37.5% of leg samples contained Pb levels exceeding 100 times the MRL, and up to 1,000 times in some cases. Our findings demonstrate that even thorough manual removal of Pb pellets is insufficient to ensure the safety of game meat, which may pose risks of acute Pb poisoning, particularly in children. These results emphasize the urgent need to ban Pb-based ammunition and adopt non-toxic alternatives to protect consumers and public health. • Mapped and quantified embedded Pb pellets in 40 red-legged partridges; • Assessed residual Pb in breast and leg meat after removing visible pellets; • The residual Pb in in meat was quantified by ICP-OES; • Estimated Pb absorption after one game meat serving; • Estimated blood Pb after eating meat with Pb-based ammo;