Iron Content in Wild Animal Meats: A Systematic Review Comparing Mammals and Birds
Visualizações: 175DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15451/ec2025-11-14.04-1-12Keywords:
wild animals, biodiversity, food and nutrition security, nutritional composition, ironAbstract
This study explores the iron content in wild animal meats, a critical component of the diets of several Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) worldwide. Our research aimed to: (i) characterize the iron content in the muscles and viscera of wild mammals and birds, and (ii) assess whether wild bird muscle contains less iron than wild mammal muscle. Employing a systematic literature review guided by PRISMA standards and utilizing databases such as Web of Science, Medline/PubMed, and Scopus, we analyzed data from eight pertinent studies. No data regarding bird viscera were identified. Our findings indicate a significant disparity in iron content between the viscera and muscle of mammals, with the former exhibiting over six times the iron content (mean of 15.25 mg per 100g) compared to the latter (mean of 2.24 mg per 100g). Contrary to our hypothesis, the iron content in the muscles of birds (mean of 3.75 mg per 100g) and mammals did not significantly differ (p=0.120), with birds, descriptively, demonstrating a nearly 70% higher iron content. This unexpected result may be attributed to the influence of slaughter methods, such as gunshot, which prevents external bleeding, or animal behavior. Our research underscores the necessity of considering slaughter techniques in nutritional assessments of meat. These findings not only contribute to our understanding of nutritional values of wild meat but also prompt further investigation into their role in human diets, especially among IPLC.
Downloads
References
Araújo AD, Freitas MO, Moura LC, Baggio Filho H, Cambraia RP (2017) Avaliação geoquímica ambiental do garimpo Areinha: estudo da concentração e distribuição de metais pesados nos sedimentos e os danos à saúde humana. Hygeia: Revista Brasileira de Geografia Médica e da Saúde 13(26):98. doi: 10.14393/132608 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14393/132608
Bowler DE, Boyd RJ, Callaghan CT, Robinson RA, Isaac NJB, Pocock MJO (2024) Treating gaps and biases in biodiversity data as a missing data problem. Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. doi: 10.1111/brv.13127 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.13127
Burin PC, Fuzikawa IHS, Souza KA, Fernandes ARM, Tonissi RH, Goes B (2016) Nutraceutical characteristics of meat and its importance in human nutrition. Revista Electrónica de Veterinaria. 17(12):1-15
Cardoso (2006) Ferro. In: CARDOSO MA, VANNUCHI Helio (eds.) Nutrição e metabolismo: nutrição humana. Guanabara Koogan, Rio de Janeiro
Damodaran S, Parkin KL (2018) Fennema's Food Chemistry. Artmed editora
Danieli PP, Serrani F, Primi R, Ponzetta MP, Ronchi B, Amici A (2012) Cadmium, lead, and chromium in large game: a local-scale exposure assessment for hunters consuming meat and liver of wild boar. Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology 63 612-627 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-012-9791-2
Dannenberger D, Nuernberg G, Nuernberg K, Hagemann E (2013) The effects of gender, age and region on macro-and micronutrient contents and fatty acid profiles in the muscles of roe deer and wild boar in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Germany). Meat science 94(1) 39-46 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2012.12.010
Everitt BS, Fleiss JL (1981) Statistical Methods for Rates and Proportions. Biometrics 37(4) 867. doi: 10.2307/2530193 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/2530193
Geldfie S, Getaway S, Melku M (2022) Prevalence and associated factors of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia among under-5 children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Global Pediatric Health 2333794X – 22211108 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2333794X221110860
Golden C, Fernald L, Brashares J, Rasolofoniaina B, Kremen C (2011) Benefits of wildlife consumption to child nutrition in a biodiversity hotspot. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 108(49), 19653-19656 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1112586108
Hayward MW, Callen A, Allen BL, Ballard G, Broekhuis F, Bugir C, Clarke RH, Clulow J, Clulow S, Daltry JC, Davies-Mostert HT, Fleming PJS, Griffin AS, Howell LG, Kerley GIH, Klop-Toker K, Legge S, Major T, Meyer N, Montgomery RA, Moseby K, Parker DM, Périquet S, Read J, Scanlon RJ, Seeto R, Shuttleworth C, Somers MJ, Tamessar CT, Tuft K, Upton R, Valenzuela-Molina M, Wayne A, Witt RR, Wüster W (2019) Deconstructing compassionate conservation: Deconstructing Compassionate Conservation. Conservation Biology: The Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology 33(4) 760–768. doi: 10.1111/cobi.13366 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13366
Ingram DJ (2020) Wild meat in changing times. Journal of Ethnobiology 40(2) 117-130 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2993/0278-0771-40.2.117
Institute of Medicine (US) Panel on Micronutrients (2001) Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK222310/] Accessed 15 June 2023
Jacob MCM, Feitosa IS, Albuquerque UP (2020) Animal-based food systems are unsafe: SARS-CoV-2 fosters the debate on meat consumption. Public Health Nutrition 23(17):3250-3255. doi: 10.1017/S1368980020002657 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980020002657
Jacob MCM, Souza AM, Carvalho AM, Neto CFAV, Tregidgo D, Hunter D, Pereira F de O, Brull GR, Kunhlein HV, Silva LJG da, Seabr LMJ, Drewinski M de P, Jr NM, Torres PC, Mayor P, Lopes PFM, Silva RRV, Gomes SM, Silva-Maia JK (2023) Food Biodiversity as an Opportunity to Address the Challenge of Improving Human Diets and Food Security. Ethnobiology and Conservation 12. doi: 10.15451/ec2023-02-12.05-1-14 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15451/ec2023-02-12.05-1-14
Jacob MCM, Teixeira CD, Bautista DA, Ramos VAN (2021) Ethnonutrition. Ethnobiology and Conservation 10. doi: 10.15451/ec2021-10-10.35-1-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15451/ec2021-10-10.35-1-8
Johnson HE, Bleich VC, Krausman PR (2007) Mineral deficiencies in tule elk, Owens Valley, California. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 43(1) 61-74. doi: 10.7589/0090-3558-43.1.61 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-43.1.61
Khambalia AZ, Aimone AM, Zlotkin SH (2011) Burden of anemia among indigenous populations. Nutrition Reviews 69(12):693-719. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00437.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00437.x
Lawrie RA (2005) Meat Science. Artmed
Li L, Huang L, Shi Y, Luo R, Yang M,Rozelle S (2018) Anemia and educational performance of students in rural China: Prevalence, correlates, and impacts. China Economic Review 51 283-293. doi: 10.1016/j.chieco.2017.07.006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chieco.2017.07.006
Lorenzo JM, Maggiolino A, Gallego L, Pateiro M, Serrano MP, Domínguez R, ... De Palo P (2019) Effect of age on the nutritional properties of Iberian wild red deer meat. Journal of Food Science and Agriculture 99(4) 1561-1567.doi: 10.1002/jsfa.9334 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.9334
Masson L(1999) LATINFOODS and its role in data generation and compilation for Latin America. Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutrición 49 (3 Supl 1) 89S-91S
Milczarek A, Janocha A, Niedziałek G, Zowczak-Romanowicz M, Horoszewicz E, Piotrowski S (2021) Health-promoting properties of the wild-harvested meat of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) and red deer (Cervus elaphus L.). Animals 11(7) 2108. doi: 10.3390/ani11072108 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11072108
Nasi R, Brown D, Wilkie D, Bennett E, Tutin C, Van Tol G, Christophersen T (2008) Conservation and use of wildlife-based resources: The bushmeat crisis. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal, and Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor. Technical Series
National Institute of Health (2023) Iron: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. [https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional]. Accessed April 5 2023
Nielsen MR, Meilby H, Smith-Hall C, Pouliot M, Treue T (2018) The importance of wild meat in the global south. Ecological Economics 146:696-705. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.12.018 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.12.018
Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas em Alimentação (2011) Brazilian Table of Food Composition. 4 ed. NEPA-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, ... Moher D (2021) The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. Bmj 372. doi: 10.1136/bmj.n71 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Pinheiro ABV, Lacerda EMDA, Benzecry EH, Gomes MCDS, Costa VMD (2005) Tabela para avaliação de consumo alimentar em medidas caseiras. Brazil, pp. 131-131
Roça RDO (2008) Composição química da carne. Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de 27
Serrano MP, Maggiolino A, Landete-Castillejos T, Pateiro M, Barbería JP, Fierro Y, ... Lorenzo JM (2020) Quality of the main types of hunted deer meat obtained in Spain compared to farmed deer meat from New Zealand. Scientific Reports 10(1) 12157 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-69071-2
Sevillano-Caño J, Cámara-Martos F, Aguilar-Luque EM, Cejudo-Gómez M, Moreno-Ortega A, Sevillano-Morales JS (2020) Trace Element Concentrations in Migratory Game Bird Meat: Contribution to Reference Intakes Through a Probabilistic Assessment. Biological trace element research 197:651-659. doi: 10.1007/s12011-019-02014-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-019-02014-9
Shafiee M, Keshavarz P, Lane G, Pahwa P, Szafron M, Jennings D, Vatanparast H (2022) Food security status of Indigenous Peoples in Canada according to the 4 pillars of food security: a scoping review. Advances in Nutrition 13(6):2537-2558. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmac081 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmac081
Strazdiņa V, Jemeļjanovs A, Šterna V (2013) Nutrition Value of Wild Animal Meat. Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Section B. Natural, Exact, and Applied Sciences 67:373–377. doi: 10.2478/prolas-2013-0074 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/prolas-2013-0074
Torres P, Morsello C, Orellana JD, Almeida O, Moraes A, Chacón-Montalván EA, Pinto MAT, Fink MGS, Freire MP, Parry L (2022) Wildmeat consumption and child health in Amazonia. Scientific Reports 12(1) 5213. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-09260-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-09260-3
United States Department of Agriculture (2024) FoodDataCentral: Game meat, elk, cooked, roasted. USDA [https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html] Accessed 23 Sep 2024.
von Elm E, Altman DG, Egger M, Pocock SJ, Gøtzsche PC, Vandenbroucke JP, STROBE Initiative (2008) The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 61:344–349 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2007.11.008
Whiting P, Rutjes AW, Reitsma JB, Bossuyt PM, Kleijnen J (2003) The development of QUADAS: a tool for the quality assessment of studies of diagnostic accuracy included in systematic reviews. BMC Medical Research Methodology. November 10;3(1):25. doi: 10.1186/1471-2288-3-25 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-3-25
World Health Organization (2017) Global Nutrition Monitoring Framework: operational guidance for tracking progress in meeting targets for 2025.
Zhuo Z, Fang S, Yue M, Wang Y, Feng J (2013) Iron Glycine Chelate on Meat Color, Iron Status and Myoglobin Gene Regulation of M. Longissimus Dorsi in Weaning Pigs. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology 15(5):983–987
Zimmerman TJ, Jenks JA, Leslie Jr DM, Neiger RD (2008) Hepatic minerals of white-tailed and mule deer in the southern Black Hills, South Dakota. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 44(2):341-350. doi: 10.7589/0090-3558-44.2.341 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-44.2.341
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Amanda Letícia Bezerra de Oliveira, Ana Luisa dos Santos Medeiros, Maria Fernanda Araújo de Medeiros, Daniel Tregidgo, Juliana Kelly da Silva Maia, Michelle Cristine Medeiros Jacob
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
