The project 'Wild and good: a food chain to be enhanced', supported by UNA Foundation, carried out in the province of Bergamo in the two-year period 2018/2019 led to the achievement of a series of important goals which have made it possible to bring the theme of wild meat and the role of the hunter to the center of attention both as a primary producer and as a subject able to guarantee an ethical, sustainable and guaranteed collection from the point of view of health and Food safety. Training, food safety and scientific research were the three key words that made it possible, through intense work, to launch the premises for a certified wild meat supply chain through the participation of the 3 key players in the wild meat supply chain: hunting world, butchers with their respective Game Processing Centers (CLS) and restaurateurs.
The results of the analyzes have been summarized in nutritional sheets of wild meat from the Bergamo area which have been provided to the restaurateurs participating in the project so that they can continue in the action of education and correct communication of the wild meats to its patrons. “One of the actions of the project - remembers dr. Luca Pellicioli who together with other scientific partners coordinated the recently concluded project - was addressed to the analysis of the nutritional characteristics of the meats through the highlighting of their composition and relative nutritional characteristics. A specific chemical investigation was carried out on a sample of 'Longissimus dorsi' muscle taken by hunters from animals in the Bergamo area (deer, roe deer, chamois, mouflon and wild boar) ".
The analyzes were carried out in specialized laboratories according to the international methods codified by the ISO, in compliance with the indications of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, and have defined the content of dry matter, humidity, proteins, fats and ashes. Furthermore, in order to characterize the product, a detailed investigation was carried out on the lipid fraction for the determination of acidic component of the three macro categories (SFA - Saturated fatty acids, MUFA - Mono-unsaturated fatty acids and PUFA - Poly-unsaturated fatty acids). The results of the investigations show that the meat of wild ungulates has a low fat content, with a certain variability associated with sex, age, physiological conditions and hunting season. Furthermore they are low in calories and cholesterol and instead rich in proteins, iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and some polyunsaturated fatty acids. Finally, it also has a favorable ratio of Ω6 / Ω3 fatty acids.
Unfortunately, the Daino nutritional sheet is missing, because it is forbidden in Lombardy, but that according to my point of view, the poem of the Daino is the best one to eat!