Natural chicken not so "natural"
If you’re a chicken-lover, and many people are, you might want to read the following article from today's Baltimore Sun:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-te.bz.chicken12jun12,0,1249953.story
It appears what we may think is “Natural” chicken purchased from the supermarket could have as much as 15 percent “additives.” And much of the “additives” may be Sodium!
Time to contact my legislators . . . AGAIN!
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7 Comments:
"Processors have been injecting some fresh poultry with up to 15 percent water, salt and elements of seaweed ..."
Sounds "natural" to me!
Now, if the label happened to say, "100% chicken", then I might have a problem with it. ;-)
LunaPierCook at 11:16AM on 06/12/07
I grew up on a farm, so "fresh" and "natural" aren't words that I quickly subscribe to when buying food from a market ... until you've seen your Grandmother kill, dress, and fry up a chicken she's hand-fed and raised, you've not had "natural".
'Twas too messy, for me. I prefer a bird wrapped in plastic, already dressed and ready to roast!! I just don't look at the preservative/growth hormone lists.
rbryants at 11:35AM on 06/12/07
I don't have any problem with pre-brined chicken, which is what adding injecting sodium solutions is. I do want to see it on the label, though, since I like to brine chickens myself sometimes. I do have a big problem with chickens and other animals being given growth hormones and antibiotics in their feed. To see that indicated on a label would be very interesting and helpful!
Library Lady at 2:11PM on 06/12/07
Kosher chickens, like the ones sold under the brand "Empire" come pre-brined, and usually win hands-down over other brands in taste tests I've read about. I have no problems with sodium. It's the other stuff I worry about.
A year or two ago, I was perusing the chickens in the meat case with one of the supermarket butchers nearby. They'd recently begun selling the organic and air-dried high end birds along side with their store brand (for two to four times the price). So I asked him, what makes this chicken better than the store brand? Is the store brand less natural than the more expensive chickens? But he seemed flummoxed by my question, and didn't give me a very good answer that I recall. In the end, the cheaper store brand tastes just as good as the fancier marketing on the other birds.
DaveFaris at 2:25PM on 06/12/07
I look at words like "natural" as a marketing term and I quickly discount it. What is needed is accurate description of what the bird went through and what was put in it.
Also - if I see the words "sushi grade" on any fish again - someone is going to get a tuna thrown at em.
shea at 6:32PM on 06/12/07
@shea
Thank you for expressing my own sentiment so precisely . . . "if I see the words 'sushi grade' on any fish again - someone is going to get a tuna thrown at em" so precisely!
I HATE people (if one can call marketing assho***, people) insulting my intelligence by using terms such as "sushi grade."
How damned stupid do they think I am?
DocChuck at 8:00PM on 06/12/07
'Natural' mean absolutely nothing in the world of food...
In another 'talk' question I post a link to a video where a 'scientist' pretty much says (on ABC) natural can mean almost anything and is not definitive of a standard.
* see organic vs local for video link
tyronebcookin at 12:46PM on 06/13/07