Deer Consumption Advisory

December 1, 2021

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, in conjunction with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), has detected high levels of PFAS in some deer harvested in the greater Fairfield area and is issuing a do not eat advisory for deer harvested in the area.

What is the "Do Not Eat" advisory?

On November 23, 2021, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (MECDC) issued a "Do Not Eat" advisory for deer taken in the greater Fairfield area. A "Do Not Eat" advisory is a recommendation to not eat game harvested within a specified area issued in response to a possible health concern.

Why was the advisory issued?

The "Do Not Eat" advisory was issued due to high levels of the chemical PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid) found in five of eight deer collected near Ohio Hill Road close to fields known to have high PFOS soil levels and high PFOS surface water levels. In deer from the Ohio Hill area, PFOS levels in meat were approximately 40 parts per billion. PFOS levels were similar in a fawn, yearling, and adult animal. These levels of PFOS in meat are high enough to warrant a recommendation to eat less than 2 to 3 meals per year.

PFOS levels were much lower in three other adult deer collected in different areas of Fairfield close to fields known to have PFOS in soil. Levels in these three deer were still high enough to recommend limits on eating meat. Out of an abundance of caution and because we currently only have test results on eight deer, the decision was made to extend a "Do Not Eat" advisory to all of the Fairfield area until additional sampling of deer for PFOS contamination is possible.

See more here.