Some sections of the NSW kangaroo meat industry are failing to adhere to basic hygiene standards, a Greens MP says.
John Kaye says documents obtained under Freedom of Information laws show that 68 inspections by the Food Authority over a year revealed 16 separate compliance breaches ranging from minor to "unacceptable".
"No one in NSW can eat kangaroo meat and not put themselves at some risk of infection," Dr Kaye said in a statement.
"These documents reveal that the so-called healthy alternative to other red meats could be riddled with pathogens.
"Poor hygiene practices have potentially devastating consequences for any food but game meat is particularly vulnerable."
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The breaches are said to include animal carcasses being hung from rusty hooks, a lack of cleaning facilities, and live and dead animals being left alongside each other.
The Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia has been sought for comment.
Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia executive officer, John Kelly, said 16 faults found in 156 audits of industry premises in a 12-month period was a good result.
"That level of compliance is actually better than you would see in any other food industry," he told AAP.
"Sixteen out of 156 is really very, very low."
He said the Food Authority auditing showed the "the systems are working".
"Some people are fundamentally opposed to killing any animal whatsoever and for them the thought of killing and utilising wildlife is an anathema," Mr Kelly added.
"For a lot of other people, and a lot of very well informed ecologists, it's actually an extraordinarily smart thing for us to be doing in this country."
