It is what most duck hunters call “Rice Breast”. Have you ever heard the whole story on rice breast? Do you know what they are? Do you know where they come from? Have you thrown them away not knowing what it was? Today I want to tell you a little bit more about that rice that is in your duck breast.
- What is Rice Breast? The scientific name for it is called Sarcocystis. It is a disease commonly found in puddle ducks. Ducks ingest the eggs of the mature parasite in food or water. After hatching, the baby parasites migrate to the skeletal muscles and form cysts. The cysts resemble grains of rice and run in parallel lines throughout the muscle, usually the breast and thigh. Birds may tend to lose some weight when they have it, but most of the time they not affected by it at all.
- Can I eat it? Yes you can eat it. Do not throw away unless you are wanting a Wanton Waste ticket. Take what is good and throw the rest away. It is fine to eat as long as you can stand the appearance of the breast. It also is wise to cook the meat properly. Do not feed infected birds to animals. The parasite might not can live in a humans digestive tract, but you four legged friend is not so lucky.
I hope this clears up any misconceptions about rice breast. Good luck hunting!
