What factor causes the safety profile of eating pigeon meat to shift dramatically based on origin?

Answer

Sourcing

The fundamental determinant of safety when consuming pigeon meat is its origin or sourcing. Consuming squab obtained from a licensed butcher or reputable establishment implies the bird has met at least minimum standards of commercial hygiene throughout its life cycle. Conversely, consuming a wild pigeon necessitates the consumer to perform a rigorous assessment of the local environmental quality and possess expert field dressing skills, as the bird's history regarding diet and roosting location is entirely unknown and uncontrolled.

What factor causes the safety profile of eating pigeon meat to shift dramatically based on origin?
foodhealthSafetyconsumptionpigeon