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Home » Gamekeeping » Stock and poultry advice » Small game preparation
Food hygiene is paramount
All game preparation must be carried out with good food hygiene being the number one priority.
When transporting shot quarry, BASC advises members to adhere to the Code of Good Shooting Practice’s Guide to Good Game handling (NEEDS LINK). If you’re preparing game for the table, follow guidance set out by The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and NHS England.
The following guidance only relates to game being processed, stored, and cooked for personal consumption.
Those operating as a food business, including the primary producer, need to comply with the hygiene regulations for supplying game for human consumption.
There are also rules and regulations relation to the sale and supply of game meat to others which must be complied with. Click the country-specific links below for more information regulations in your area:
he process of good game handling begins as soon as the shot game is in the hand. The basics of good handling of shot game includes keeping it clean, protecting it from contamination, rapid cooling to 4°C or below, and correct storage until it is processed.
Find out more information on how to do this (NEEDS LINK).
There are specific legal rules on the storage of game if it is being supplied to others which must be followed. It is a good principle to follow these for home consumption. Key basics are to keep them cool, dry, and away from any source of contamination, eg. flies.
Some people like to hang game to improve it’s flavour. The time allowed for this is a matter of personal preference, however, this will be affected by factors such the species and the storage facilities you have available. For example, hanging time would reduce (if undertaken at all) if you don’t have suitable refrigerated storage facilities or the ambient temperature is not sufficiently cool.
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CroW) created a public right of access to mountain, moor, heath, down and registered common land in England and Wales.
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© 2024 British Association for Shooting and Conservation. Registered Office: Marford Mill, Rossett, Wrexham, LL12 0HL – Registered Society No: 28488R. BASC is a trading name of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under firm reference number 311937.
If you have any questions or complaints about your BASC membership insurance cover, please email us. More information about resolving complaints can be found on the FCA website or on the EU ODR platform.
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