Caribou: dense in B12 and iron, with the risks of raw meat and organs

In a 4-week randomized crossover in Greenland, Inuit adults on a traditional diet of mostly marine mammals, fish and reindeer had mean daily blood glucose 3.1 mg/dL (0.17 mmol/l) lower than on a Western diet (95% CI 0.05 to 0.29). That effect cannot be assigned to the reindeer. The same diet brought 1.1 lb (0.5 kg) more weight loss and a 4% lower LDL to HDL ratio, driven by higher HDL, and the report we read gives no sample size. No trial has yet tested caribou meat by itself. What the meat offers is density. USDA puts raw caribou at 6.31 ug vitamin B12 per 3.5 oz (100 g), 263% of the Daily Value, with 22.6 g protein and 4.69 mg iron, from one record with no Foundation samples behind it. A typical 85 g cooked serving in US survey data gives about 25 g protein, 5.2 mg iron and 5.6 ug B12 for 141 calories. In 100 samples of semi-domesticated Norwegian reindeer, B12, iron, zinc and selenium ran two to twelve times higher than in Norwegian beef, lamb, pork or chicken, though North American caribou was not sampled.

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• USDA puts raw caribou meat at 6.31 ug vitamin B12 per 3.5 oz (100 g), 263% of the Daily Value, with 22.6 g protein and 4.69 mg iron. — USDA SR Legacy record for Game meat, caribou, raw (n = 1 record (10 caribou records in USDA)) Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: vitamin B12 6.31 ug (263% DV), riboflavin 0.72 mg (55% DV), protein 22.63 g, zinc 4 mg (36% DV), iron 4.69 mg (26% DV), cholesterol 83 mg; across 10 records iron 2.8 to 15.7 mg, B12 6.31 to 15.1 ug
• Norwegian reindeer meat held two to twelve times more vitamin B12, iron, zinc and selenium than beef, lamb, pork or chicken. — 100 reindeer meat samples from 10 grazing districts in mid and northern Norway (n = 100 samples) Evidence D source
  B12, Fe, Zn and Se 2 to 12 times higher than Norwegian beef, lamb, mutton, pork and chicken
• In Inuit dietary surveys, caribou liver carried retinol at levels comparable to store-bought liver. — dietary surveys in 18 Canadian Inuit communities, 5 regions Evidence C source
  Median retinol in caribou liver comparable to market food liver

What a real portion looks like

• A typical 3 oz (85 g) serving of cooked caribou in US survey data gives about 25 g protein, 5.2 mg iron and 5.6 ug vitamin B12 for 141 calories. — US household measures, FNDDS (n = 1 food code) Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: protein 29.53 g, iron 6.12 mg, vitamin B12 6.59 ug, 166 calories; 85 g: 25.1 g, 5.2 mg, 5.6 ug, 141.1 calories; 1 cup 135 g: 39.9 g, 8.3 mg, 8.9 ug

What cooking and storage change

• A 9-year-old Inuit boy caught brucellosis, most likely from raw caribou meat, since Brucella suis circulates in Canadian caribou herds. — one 9-year-old Inuit boy (n = 1) Evidence D source
  Brucellosis; raw caribou meat the probable source
• A review of 21 Canadian reports tied caribou, walrus, seal and whale to most traditional-food illness, mainly botulism and trichinosis, with raw eating and fermentation the main risks. — 21 documents on foodborne and waterborne illness in Canadian Indigenous populations (n = 21 documents) Evidence C source
  Caribou among the four traditional foods most tied to illness; raw and fermented preparation implicated
• CDC says wild game meat must be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) to kill Trichinella parasites, and freezing game meat might not be sufficient. — people who eat wild game meat Evidence E source
  Internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) kills Trichinella, freezing might not be sufficient

What it does to your health

• In a 4-week crossover in Greenland, a traditional diet of marine mammals, fish and reindeer lowered mean daily blood glucose by 3.1 mg/dL (0.17 mmol/l) compared with a Western diet. — Greenlandic Inuit adults, carriers and non-carriers of a TBC1D4 variant, two 4-week diets Evidence B source
  Mean daily glucose -3.1 mg/dL (95% CI 0.9 to 5.2; metric: -0.17 mmol/l, 0.05 to 0.29); maximum -4.7 mg/dL (95% CI 1.1 to 8.3; metric: -0.26 mmol/l, 0.06 to 0.46)
• The same traditional diet produced 1.1 lb (0.5 kg) more weight loss and a 4% lower LDL:HDL ratio than the Western diet over 4 weeks. — Greenlandic Inuit adults, two 4-week diets in random order Evidence B source
  Weight -1.1 lb (95% CI 0.2 to 2; metric: -0.5 kg, 0.09 to 0.90); LDL:HDL -4% (95% CI 1 to 9), driven by HDL +3.5 mg/dL (0.09 mmol/l)

Safety, limits and interactions

• In Fort Resolution, the highest cadmium levels in traditional foods were in caribou and moose liver and kidney, though average intake stayed below the WHO weekly limit. — residents of Fort Resolution, Northwest Territories; about 30 wild species analyzed Evidence C source
  Traditional-food cadmium 9% (women) and 6% (men) of the WHO PTWI; about 20% eat caribou and moose organs more often
• Among 917 Nunavik adults, cadmium in blood came mainly from smoking, and caribou liver and kidney were only a minor source for never-smokers. — 917 Inuit adults aged 18 to 74, Nunavik, 2004 survey compared with 1992 (n = 917) Evidence C source
  Blood cadmium 5.3 nmol/L never-smokers vs 40.4 smokers; mercury -32% and lead -55% since 1992
• Across 170 studies of hunted wild ungulates, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli was more common in meat from wild ruminants than from wild pigs. — 46 publications, 170 studies, 223 prevalence estimates of bacteria in game meat, 2004 to 2024 (n = 170 studies) Evidence C source
  STEC more prevalent in ruminant game meat; other pathogens higher in suids

Who this works differently for

• Among Inuit toddlers in Nunavik childcare, caribou and Arctic char were the traditional foods reported most often. — 217 children aged 11 to 54 months in 10 Nunavik communities, one 24-hour recall (n = 217) Evidence C source
  Caribou and Arctic char the most reported traditional-food species; traditional food 2.6% of energy
• NIH names liver, without singling out any species, as one of the richest sources of preformed vitamin A, which matters if caribou liver is eaten. NIH sets the upper limit for preformed vitamin A, counting food and supplements together, at 600 mcg a day for children aged 1 to 3 and 3,000 mcg for adults, and warns that intakes above it can cause birth defects. For pregnancy it advises against vitamin A supplements above 3,000 mcg RAE a day. — children by age band, adults, and women who are or might be pregnant or are lactating Evidence E source
  UL for preformed vitamin A from food plus supplements: 600 mcg to age 3, 900 mcg at 4-8, 1,700 mcg at 9-13, 2,800 mcg at 14-18, 3,000 mcg from 19 (pregnancy and lactation included); intakes above the UL can cause birth defects of the eye, skull, lungs and heart

What is still unknown

• The Greenland trial's traditional diet was mostly marine mammals, fish and reindeer, so no trial has yet tested caribou meat on its own. — Greenlandic Inuit adults, traditional diet period Evidence B source
  Diet composition: marine mammals, fish and reindeer, fat above 40% of energy, carbohydrate below 30%

The bottom line

The safety cards concern raw meat and organs. A 9-year-old Inuit boy caught brucellosis, most likely from raw caribou meat, and Brucella suis circulates in Canadian caribou herds. That is a single case, with the source probable and not proven. A scoping review of 21 Canadian reports found walrus, seal, caribou and whale the traditional foods most often tied to foodborne illness, mainly botulism and trichinosis. Across 170 studies of hunted wild ungulates, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli was more common in meat from wild ruminants than from wild pigs, with caribou not reported separately. The review named raw eating and fermentation as the main risks. We hold no card on a safe cooking temperature for caribou or on whether freezing kills Arctic Trichinella, so this page cannot say how to make the meat safe, and it does not suggest that dried, half-dried or raw caribou is. Cadmium collects in the organs. In Fort Resolution in the Northwest Territories, the highest cadmium in traditional foods was in caribou and moose liver and kidney, in data from one community in the 1990s. Among 917 Nunavik adults, blood cadmium came mainly from smoking, and caribou liver and kidney were a minor source for never-smokers. Caribou liver held retinol at levels comparable to store-bought liver in Inuit dietary surveys from 18 Canadian communities. Retinol is the preformed vitamin A. We hold no card on an upper limit for it or on liver in pregnancy, so this page cannot say that caribou liver is safe for pregnant women, and it should not be read as an iron source for them. Among 217 Inuit toddlers in Nunavik childcare, caribou and Arctic char were the traditional foods reported most often, in a single day of recall where traditional food made up only 2.6% of energy. The brucellosis case above was in a child who most likely ate the meat raw, and we hold no card on how to cook caribou for children, so this page cannot say what makes it safe for them. We hold no card on medicines for caribou either.

Compared with other foods

Sources

1. cari-r6-01 · USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy, dataset
   Game meat, caribou, raw (FDC 173853, SR Legacy, Lamb, Veal, and Game Products): vitamin B12 6.31 ug per 100 g = 263% DV; riboflavin 0.72 mg = 55% DV; protein 22.63 g = 45% DV; zinc 4 mg = 36% DV; iron 4.69 mg = 26% DV; ranges across 10 USDA caribou records: B12 6.31-15.1 ug, iron 2.8-15.7 mg; Foundation samples 0, CoFID match none
   USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC 173853 · checked 2026-09-28
2. cari-r6-03 · food composition analysis
   Reindeer meat contained higher vitamin B12, Fe, Zn and Se concentrations when compared to Norwegian beef, lamb, mutton, pork and chicken meat (two to twelve times higher depending on the nutrient).
   Nutrients, 2012 · checked 2026-09-28
3. cari-r6-13 · dietary survey
   The median retinol content of liver of ringed seal, caribou, and fish were comparable to levels observed in market food liver.
   Can J Public Health, 2004 · checked 2026-09-28
4. cari-r6-02 · reference dataset
   FNDDS 2705919 Caribou: Protein 29.53 g/100 g, 85 g 25.1 g · Iron, Fe 6.12 mg/100 g, 85 g 5.2 mg · Vitamin B-12 6.59 ug/100 g, 85 g 5.6 ug · Energy 166 kcal/100 g, 85 g 141.1 kcal
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023 · checked 2026-09-28
5. cari-r6-10 · case report
   Brucella suis is enzootic in Canadian caribou herds and this case indicates that natives of the Arctic are a risk group for acquiring brucellosis through the ingestion of raw caribou meat.
   Scand J Infect Dis, 1989 · checked 2026-09-28
6. cari-r6-11 · scoping review
   Walrus, seal, caribou and whale were the most common traditional foods tied to foodborne illness and were primarily associated with botulism and trichinosis.
   Can Commun Dis Rep, 2017 · checked 2026-09-28
7. sf-game-r2-3 · agency advice
   Cooking wild game meat to an internal temperature ≥165°F (≥74°C) is necessary to kill Trichinella spp. parasites. ... Cooking game meat to a safe internal temperature (≥165°F [≥74°C]) will kill Trichinella spp. and prevent infection, whereas freezing might not be sufficient
   CDC MMWR, Notes from the Field: Suspected Outbreak of Trichinellosis Associated with Undercooked Bear Meat, North Carolina, November 2023 (2024) · checked 2026-10-08
8. cari-r6-04 · randomized crossover trial in humans
   Compared with the Western diet, the Traditional diet reduced mean and maximum daily blood glucose by 0·17 mmol/l (95 % CI 0·05, 0·29; P = 0·006) and 0·26 mmol/l (95 % CI 0·06, 0·46; P = 0·010), respectively, with dose-dependency.
   Br J Nutr, 2023 · checked 2026-09-28
9. cari-r6-05 · randomized crossover trial in humans
   Furthermore, it gave rise to a weight loss of 0·5 kg (95 % CI; 0·09, 0·90; P = 0·016) relative to the Western diet and 4 % (95 % CI 1, 9; P = 0·018) lower LDL:HDL-cholesterol, which after adjustment for weight loss appeared to be driven by HDL elevation (0·09 mmol/l (0·03, 0·15), P = 0·006).
   Br J Nutr, 2023 · checked 2026-09-28
10. cari-r6-08 · dietary exposure assessment
    Highest levels of cadmium were found in the liver and kidney of caribou and moose.
    Food Addit Contam, 1998 · checked 2026-09-28
11. cari-r6-09 · cross-sectional study
    Blood cadmium concentrations were mainly associated with tobacco smoking (partial r2 = 0.56; p < 0.0001), while consumption of caribou liver and kidney remain a minor source of cadmium exposure among never-smokers.
    Environ Health, 2008 · checked 2026-09-28
12. cari-r6-12 · meta-analysis of prevalence studies
    Pathogen occurrence was generally higher in meat from suids, except for STEC, which was more prevalent in the game meat of ruminants.
    Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf, 2026 · checked 2026-09-28
13. cari-r6-07 · cross-sectional study
    Caribou and Arctic char were the most reported TF species.
    Int J Circumpolar Health, 2012 · checked 2026-09-28
14. sf-vita-r4-5 · agency advice
    Concentrations of preformed vitamin A are highest in liver, fish, eggs, and dairy products [1]. ... The FNB has established ULs for preformed vitamin A that apply to both food and supplement intakes [5]. The FNB based these ULs on the amounts associated with an increased risk of liver abnormalities in men and women, teratogenic effects, and several toxic effects in infants and children. ... Birth to 12 months 600 mcg 600 mcg 1–3 years 600 mcg 600 mcg 4–8 years 900 mcg 900 mcg 9–13 years 1,700 mcg 1,700 mcg 14–18 years 2,800 mcg 2,800 mcg 2,800 mcg 2,800 mcg 19+ years 3,000 mcg 3,000 mcg 3,000 mcg 3,000 mcg ... Total intakes of preformed vitamin A that exceed the UL as well as some retinoid medications used as topical therapies (such as isotretinoin, used to treat severe acne, and etretinate, a treatment for severe psoriasis) can cause congenital birth defects [1]. These birth defects can include malformations of the eye, skull, lungs, and heart [14]. Experts advise women who are or might be pregnant and those who are lactating not to take high doses (more than 3,000 mcg RAE [10,000 IU] daily) of vitamin A supplements [1].
    NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin A and Carotenoids Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-10-08
15. cari-r6-06 · randomized crossover trial in humans
    During the Traditional dietary period, foods consisted mostly of marine mammals, fish and reindeer while targeting a high fat content (> 40 % of the energy intake (E%)) and low carbohydrate content (< 30 E%), with limited grains and imported foods permitted.
    Br J Nutr, 2023 · checked 2026-09-28