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April 6th, 2012
07:46 PM ET
Arsenic in chicken, or just feathers?Is there "Arsenic in Our Chicken?" That's the title of a recent article by New York times columnist Nicholas Kristof that has caused an online feeding frenzy, so to speak. The answer is yes - sort of. The claim of arsenic appears largely based on a study co-authored by Keeve E. Nachman in the journal Science of the Total Environment. The study found levels of arsenic in feather meal, which is made from chicken feathers and used as feed for poultry, hogs and fish, among other things. It turns out there are different kinds of arsenic, not all of which are considered poisonous. And, as the study's authors themselves point out in their paper, "There’s no evidence that such low levels of arsenic harm either chickens or the people eating them." The National Chicken Council responded in a statement that "chickens in the United States produced for meat are not given 'arsenic' as an additive in chicken feed, or any of the other compounds mentioned in this study." However, the council admits that some feed used to contain a product called Roxarsone, which is a molecule that includes organic arsenic, not the inorganic type that is considered a poison. The product was removed from market last year and is no longer used in raising U.S. chickens, according to the council. It's not surprising to find arsenic on bird feathers because organic arsenic is naturally present in the air, soil and water, they said, adding that the testing methods used in the study are extremely sensitive and can detect a chemical or compound that hasn't been used in years, or was never used. So why all the hullabaloo? Most likely because arsenic, like the ammonia-infused pink slime recently exposed in school and grocery store hamburger meat, does not sound like something we'd like to eat. And because arsenic is something most often associated with poison. But every substance is poisonous in the right dose – even water. Read: Arsenic levels in apple and grape juice "It's a question of concentration," said Tom Neuhaus, professor emeritus of food science at Cal Poly's Food Science and Nutrition Department. Though Neuhaus is highly critical of mainstream chicken-farming practices, he is wary of condemning them on the basis of safe levels of arsenic found in feather meal.
"There's arsenic in chocolate and there's arsenic in every every breath of air you breathe, in every drop of water you drink," said Neuhaus who teaches about chocolate among other things at Cal Poly.
"It's not like cesium-137 (a deadly radioactive isotope) - you really don't want to have a single atom."
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Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love. Recent Comments
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I think you meant to take that left turn in Albuquerque.
considering all the other cr4p we eat...industrial food...why are we "shocked"
Chicken meat goes though chemical baths beef is not any better.
x
Do not criticize, just accept it. It won't hurt you.
This article is unscientific and tells lies.
Interesting : Comments are being censored ! ! !
Maybe it's just you.
The word "fact" is being censored.
OK, it isn't. The word "poison" is being censored.
Nope, not that one either. I beats me.
Never liked chicken. Now if it's in PB&J and Chef Boyardee canned pasta I'm a gonner!
Hm... maybe we shouldn't be feeding chickens their own feathers as part of their diet... just sayin'.
chickens will VOLUNTARILY eat the smaller feathers that are shed or moulted. They reuse what protein they can from them. Please, will someone actually TALK to someone who raises chickens on a non-factory scale?
Keeve, you accomplished most likely what you needed, your name in today's news. However, I would suggest you and your co-authoring partner let this one go, maybe the two of you can come up with a new 'study' that has more merit than this one.
Chicken feathers do not belong in feed. They are nothing but waste being used as extenders. They are not digestible, so any small amount of keitinos protein they may contain is excreted. If your Pete's feed has "chicken byproduct" listed (or "chicken digest", which is the waste-filled digestive system), find a better brand.
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I honestly cannot fantom just how idiotic the posts are on this topic.
Um... it about your health, but miss that point – you all did BIG TIME!
Fiona is the only one who has made any sense.
I raise chickens for their eggs – period.
They go outside during the day and come into the coop at night to be protected from predators.
Unless you know what what food choices you have to make for healthy hens and eggs...
I suggest you stop posting ignorant comments.
lynne – you can't "fantom" the idiotic posts on this topic?
Fantom this: Stop. Go look up both "fantom" and "fathom", and then stop making suggestions.
Does anyone else find it strange that Chickens are eating chicken feathers? Gee, what could be wrong with that?
ummm, I keep chickens. I don't feed them feathers, but if they see a feather on the ground, they'll eat it. It's part of their protein requirement, in addition to bugs, worms, etc.
I stick with organic chickens in low stress environment. Any toxins those birds contain are naturally occuring and in low levels.
Factory farm chickens have higher levels of toxins because they are kept in tiny cages with feed that is mixed with feathers, feces, and dead (rejected) chickens.
Unfortunately, organic chickens is more expensive than factory chickens, so many people simply can only afford the factory ones.
and even those "organic" chickens in a "low stress environment" are usually raised just like factory chickens with slightly different feed. Unless you're buying from a local farmer and have been to visit the farm, I'd steer clear.
It is sad to know all these toxins are in our food. Even when you try to eat healthy and exercise , drinking apple juice and eating chicken is still a danger to our health. Even fruits and veggies have listeria an ecoli contamination and recalls.
this is gross and really sad to know about and i think that people are stupid for putting this stuff in the chicken
Don't eat anything that has the potential to harm you....and say hello to your casket from starvation!
I never used to think about label like organic and free range I just asusmed they were more healthy. Until my 80-year old dad one day informed me to my horror I've been reading about the free-range label. Apparently, you can call a chicken free range if their wire cage opens up onto a 2 x2 gravel or concrete space. And it doesn't matter what they feed them or if they give them drugs or hormones to call them free-range. Doesn't sound very free range to me. You're best off growing your own food. I also found out a few years ago while working with environmental engineers that Energy Star classification is more about buying the use of the name than anything else. Sad.
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