COLUMBIA (AP) -- South Carolina health officials have told a grocery store in Richland County not to stock raccoon meat.
The State newspaper reported the Department of Health and Environmental Control found bags of chilled raccoon meat in a cooler at the store in Gadsden.
DHEC spokesman Thom Berry says he can't recall when inspectors have found raccoon meat in a grocery store. Berry says raccoon meat is not certified by state and federal meat inspectors as being safe for humans.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Inspection Service, raccoon is considered small game. The USDA's website says "Game species raised on farms under appropriate regulations can be sold. Wild game species that can be legally hunted under Federal or State regulatory authority cannot be sold, but can be harvested for personal consumption.
Berry says inspectors found the meat still in the store on a second visit and ordered it thrown away. Berry says DHEC is considering taking action against the store.
A clerk who answered the phone at the Lucky Seven No. 2 store said she could not talk about the matter.
Are you surprised to find a store in South Carolina selling raccoon meat? Would you try it? Leave your answer below in our comment section.
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