Dear Dr. Roach: I recently opened up some stored tuna that my son had saved for me. He loves to hunt his own food. When I ate it, I realized that when he had gone to Alaska, he had not only hunted tuna but also black bear. He had used the black bear grease to cure the tuna. I was mortified that he had used a protected animal to preserve his tuna. I reluctantly ate it anyway. Now, I am worried about my health. Will anything happen to me healthwise because I have eaten the grease from a black bear from Alaska? The bear was wild, so could it have had a disease, like rabies? I’m sure it has never been vaccinated. — Anon.

Answer: Black bears are hunted in many states, and although it is regulated (you need a license) in Alaska, they are not a protected species under the Endangered Species Act. Black bears are hunted for both sport and meat. The major health risk from consuming bear meat is trichinella, a muscle parasite. The meat must be heated to a high temperature to be sure of killing the parasite. Grease from the bear should not have trichinella risk.

Another concern is rabies. Rabies is possible but rare in bears. I doubt it could be transmitted from grease, though, as rabies virus lives in nervous tissue, not fat.