Kangaroo meat may not be as healthy as previously thought after scientists found a component of red meat most prevalent in the iconic Australian animal is linked to heart disease.
Kangaroo meat is incredibly nutritious! It's high in protein (slightly higher than beef), iron, and zinc, and even offers omega-3s, an essential nutrient that is usually associated with fish. Kangaroo is also a very lean meat with less than 2 per cent fat.
E-coli and Salmonella
Several studies show that the meat can be infected with relatively high numbers of E-coli, Salmonella and Toxoplasma gondii. The Australian kangaroo meat industry flouts the most basic hygiene rules, as research of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand shows.
Increasing consumption of kangaroo meat has been identified as a potential new source of Toxoplasmosis infection for consumers, and as such may be a significant long-term health risk.
Russia has banned imports of Kangaroo meat due to concerning levels of Escherichia coli that have been detected. Since Kangaroos are shot in the wild, there are a number of hygienic concerns.
You see, Kangaroo are a Sacred Totem Animal to many of we Indigenous people. They are a Creator Spirit and The Dreaming of Country and holding Kangaroo as Totem means for many Indigenous people we never ate it, or eat it … ever.
Pate, pork crackling and other processed meat products have been slapped with a wide-reaching import ban in an effort to keep foot and mouth disease out of the country.
Many people think kangaroos are farmed for their meat, but all the kangaroo meat on supermarket shelves and served up in restaurants comes from kangaroos harvested from wild populations. Four species are commonly harvested – red kangaroos, eastern and western grey kangaroos, and the common wallaroo.
K-ROO is produced by Australia s leading manufacturer of kangaroo meat, Macro Meats. Based in South Australia, we re a family-owned and operated business that have a long history of innovation and excellence and have been proudly supplying Australians with kangaroo meat for the past 30 years.
Overall, eating Kangaroo meat is more sustainable and better for the environment than most other meat consumption. As kangaroos are indigenous to the Australian environment they can get by on eating a variety of indigenous scrub and do not rely on the production of grain.
In fact, kangaroo meat is widely available in most Australian supermarkets along with emu, crocodile, camel and other “game meats”. Kangaroo meat had been consumed by indigenous Australians for centuries, but it was only in the last few decades that it's been legalized for human consumption across Australia.
Kangaroos are shot in the wild and are eviscerated in the open where access to potable water and proper sanitation is limited. As a result, contamination of kangaroo meat is unavoidable.
Kangaroo meat is a great source of protein, but, as with all wild game animals (or any food for that matter), there is a risk of disease. Some kangaroos are not shot properly in the head, and often defenseless Joeys will be unintended casualties when a female is shot.
Kangaroo meat is a great source of these anti-inflammatory fatty acids that also help support a healthy heart.
Koalas, like the platypus and echidna, are a protected native Australian animal, and harming or killing them could bring you a hefty fine or time in jail. So no, you can't eat koalas.
Super Low in Fat and Cholesterol
Only 1% of kangaroo meat is fat, and half of that fat is unsaturated fatty acids of which are said to be good for our body. Also, the cholesterol level is 54mg per 100g for kangaroo. Pork has 84mg of cholesterol per 100g.
Australia is not the only country to eat its national emblem – elk is eaten in Sweden, carp in Japan – but for an increasingly urban population, it can be a hard sell.
While kangaroo is more environmentally friendly than sheep or cattle, the long travel time from Australia to other countries ups the meat's carbon footprint. This long journey increases the cost of roo, making it much more expensive than meat farmed in Peru.
Kangaroos are not farmed. Every year the kangaroo industry slaughters millions of kangaroos and their joey's in the wild for their meat and skins. It is the largest land-based wildlife slaughter in the world.
Thanks to our Aussie-first supplier policy, 100% of our fresh meat is proudly Australian grown. Our suppliers are some of Australia's best farmers, like the Thomas family, BE Campbells, the Bandari Food Group, Golden Cockerel and the Benders… just to name a few.
Chicken meat most popular meat in Australian diet, new trends for other meats.
Kangaroos played an important role in the survival of Australia's indigenous peoples. The animal was hunted for tens of thousands of years, for both meat and skins, and when Europeans arrived in the late 18th century, they also depended on its meat for survival.
We use only 100% Aussie grown beef to serve you the best beef burgers, sourced from farmers across the country. Our Angus beef is 100% Aussie grown. Known around the world for its quality and taste, we source our Angus beef from Aussie farmers.
Australian beef, lamb and goat meat all contain 12 essential nutrients recommended for good health, including protein, iron, zinc, omega-3s, B vitamins (B12, B6, B5, niacin, riboflavin), magnesium, selenium and phosphorous.
China has placed tariffs on Australian barley and wine in recent years, and suspended the live lobster trade and coal imports, until this week. It also blocked imports from eight beef exporters from Queensland, NSW and Victoria, over labelling non-compliance and COVID-19 related issues.