Testing was performed by the University Hygienic Laboratory on 10 samples of ground venison from a central Iowa food pantry. All 10 samples had less than one part per million of lead; eight had no detectable amounts; and two had only trace amounts.

Distribution of venison donated to the food pantries by hunters was temporarily halted in late March until the ground meat could be sampled for lead.

Rick Kelley, UHL government liaison, collected the samples. They were tested by UHL's Matt Coleman, lab technician, and Kevin Jackson, chemist, in the Ankeny Sample Prep section. Steve Bernholtz, UHL chemist, also conducted ion chromatography (IC) and mass spectrometry (MS) testing, which provides greater sensitivity and can detect metals at lower levels.

In the last five years, more than 25,000 deer have been donated to hunger programs through the Department of Natural Resources-administered HUSH (Help Us Stop Hunger) program. This translates into four million meal servings. HUSH is a cooperative effort among deer hunters, the Food Bank of Iowa, meat lockers and the Iowa DNR. The two main goals of HUSH include reducing the deer population while providing high quality, reed meat to the needy in Iowa.

"Based on the samples that were analyzed and the extensive data currently available through blood testing of Iowans by our department, no additional tests of the venison are necessary," says Ken Sharp, director of the environmental health division of the Iowa Department of Public Health. "When we look at the results of this testing and the blood data that has been collected over the years, the venison provided through the HUSH program presents no recognized risk for lead exposure."

Since 1992, more than 500,000 children and 25,000 adults in Iowa have been testing for lead poisoning. None of the cases of lead poisoning identified from this testing were caused from ingestion of venison, according to IDPH. Based on these results and on Food and Drug Administration guidelines, the IDPH says that people can safely consume the following amounts of ground venison:

• Children under the age of 6 years: two 4-ounce servings per week
• Pregnant women: one 4-ounce serving per day
• All other adults: three 4-ounce servings per day

Lead poisoning can cause significant health problems for young children and pregnant women. Lead-based paint is the leading cause of lead exposure in children. Parents concerned about their children's exposure to lead in venison should consult their physician to test for lead poisoning.

Meat processing and the care ten to clean the animal when it was harvested should be considered on other cuts of venison to determine the likelihood of lead being present.