Arsenic widespread in chicken

[mdlbear]

Arsenic Widespread in Chicken, Testing Finds; Avoidable Arsenic Commonly Added to Chicken Feed; Arsenic-free Chicken Available

MINNEAPOLIS, April 5 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Brand name chicken products sold in American supermarkets and fast food restaurants are widely contaminated with arsenic, according to independent test results released today by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP).

Testing of 155 samples from uncooked supermarket chicken products found 55 percent carried detectable arsenic. Arsenic was more than twice as prevalent in conventional brands of supermarket chicken as in certified organic and other "premium" brands. All 90 fast food chicken products tested by IATP also contained detectable arsenic. The full report can be read at: http://www.iatp.org.

Arsenic in chicken meat appears closely linked to the decades-old practice of intentionally and routinely putting arsenic into chicken feed. At least 70 percent of U.S. broiler chickens have been fed arsenic, according to estimates.

(from rowanf)

Comments

Shades of Francis Urquahart!

[saffronrose.livejournal.com]

One supposes one should have the hair tested for arsenic content.
Whatever possessed them to put arsenic in the feed?

Re: Shades of Francis Urquahart!

[mdlbear]

Presumably it suppresses some pest that's more sensitive to arsenic than chickens.

[elimloth.livejournal.com]

It is nice to see that Rocky Jr and Rosies has ND, not detectable levels. They are California Certified Organic Food (CCOF), and not the fake federal organic certification that permits treated heavy metal containing sewage or irradiated products to be called 'organic'.

What possesses a food industry to have arsenic in their feed, or use massive antibiotics, or to feed meat products containing spinal cords to chickens (and cows),is in one word: profits.

Those same folks have lobbied congress to pass downward harmonization laws (love that phrase) to lower all state organic certification levels to the much lax federal standards, and to prohibit states or businesses from declaring the difference to their customers. This is simply unjust.