# Safe to eat/What is it ??????



## Bite Me (Jan 10, 2011)

I killed a drake mallard this morning & when breasting it out I found all of these white spots in the meat. They were not just on the meat, but were actually in it. To be honest, at first I thought they were worms, but I dug some out and they just look like they are fat deposits or something. They sorta look like small white worms though. Has anyone seen this before, or know what it is. I did not finish breasting it out, but threw it in the freezer just in case someone wanted to look at it. I took some pictures and will post them if I do not get an answer without them. Thanks.


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

Probably rice breast. Not sure of the scientific name for it. I usually only see it in shovelers and cinnamon teal. I've heard it's not dangerous to eat, but it grosses me out a little bit.


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## Goshawk (Sep 7, 2007)

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/waterfowl/sarcocystis.asp


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

good post

Someone posted a pic of rice breast here years back. I will try to find it,

I pluck my birds so I find it after I cook them...then I throw the bird out.

.


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## freepunk (Sep 17, 2007)

Yep sounds like rice breast. The last one I shot that had it was a drake mallard as well. Safe to eat if cooked thoroughly but yeah...pretty nasty lookin.


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## EricH (May 3, 2014)

Found it in a shoveler yesyerday.


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## Cold Water Copper (Oct 10, 2014)

Try just serving your duck over some Uncle Ben's, you'll hardly ever notice it then. We used to see that a lot in Spoonies. It was reported to be safe to eat, but... Just serve it up with a side of mercury while you're at it. Its been awhile since I read up on it, but it think it is transferable to dogs, or comes from dogs first. Not trying spread panic, but I thought that's what I heard once.


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

Yep, safe to eat, but so are other types of worms....-O,-

The life cycle of the worm is that a fox or coyote eats an infected duck, the fox/coyote then defecates, another duck comes along and eats the shat, and thus starts a new cycle. Personally, I say break the chain.


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## bug doc (Apr 19, 2008)

Here's a pic:










As previously stated, it's not known to infect humans, and proper cooking kills the parasite. However, I'm not taking the chance...


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Yuk! What's worse than a mudd tasting unedible duck? A mudd tasting unedible duck with worms.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

That is the main reason I breast ducks and not pluck them. I won't eat them when I find rice breast. On a good note, I have only had 2 with it this year. A mallard and pintail.


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## Bite Me (Jan 10, 2011)

Yep, that's exactly what it looked like. Sounds like it's fairly common, just the first time I have ever seen it before. It sure was a surprise though when I opened it up. Thanks for all the responses.


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## duckilla (Nov 20, 2014)

In the 15 years I have been duck hunting I have never had a bird with that and I have killed a lot of birds.


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