If You See These White Stripes on Chicken, There's 1 Thing You Need to Know Before Buying
By Timfly
Chicken is often seen as a healthier alternative to red meat, but depending on the wholesomeness of the chicken, that might not be true. Certain visual cues could be a warning.
Compassion in World Farming released a video on YouTube aiming to educate the public about “white stripes” they may see in raw chicken.
According to the organization, pieces of chicken that have stripes of white fat running through the meat could be not only bad, but dangerous to consume.
The white stripes are the result of the bird being raised in conditions that are not healthy.
CWF reported that new studies show that many chickens raised in factory-like farms develop muscle tissue disorders, which occur because the chickens are genetically modified to grow faster. As a result, they grow too big too fast.
Two of the most frequent disorders seen because of these conditions are “woody breast” and “white striping,” the organization said. These conditions “seriously impact” the quality of meat, which could result in more fat, less protein and a tough texture. Woody breast, like white striping, is related to abnormal muscle development and causes an abnormally stiff texture, according to Poultry Hub.
“White striping” looks like you’d expect it to. Take a look at the video Compassion in World Farming released:
Truly lean chicken won’t have any of the white stripes, the U.K. Independent reported. Generally, fat can be seen running along the sides of the slice of meat but not through the center.
A study published last year in the Italian Journal of Animal Science concluded that “the severity of white striping has increased in recent years” and found it present in 96 per cent of the 285 birds they tested, according to the Independent.
A study conducted in 2013 revealed that chicken breasts with white stripes can contain up to 224 percent more fat than normal ones.
Compassion in World Farming suggested that better treatment of chickens, including healthier genetics and improved environments that encourage natural behavior, would limit these conditions.
The Independent reported that a spokesman for the National Chicken Council said white striping affects a “small percentage of chicken meat” and “does not create any health or food safety concerns for people, and the welfare of the chicken itself is not negatively impacted.”
However, it wouldn’t hurt to choose the best-looking piece of chicken.
H/T U.K. Daily Record
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