There's More to This Hobby than Meets the Eye

A recent article from NBC News, and shared through Meatingplace.com, brings to light an unfortunate outcome of the “locavore” movement: abandoned chickens.  (See http://www.nbcnews.com/health/backyard-chickens-dumped-shelters-when-hipsters-cant-cope-critics-say-6C10533508 for the full story.)  In an attempt to bring the source of food closer to home, many people with good intentions but little information have established flocks in urban settings without considering the consequences.  While raising chickens, ducks, and other poultry can be a great experience, it must be undertaken with a realistic, and not idealistic, attitude.  While my previous posts on Meat Salads have referenced many other sources, I would like to speak from experience of raising poultry in my younger days.  If you are considering starting a flock of your own, I hope my advice will either influence your decisions in how to care for your birds, or sway you to adopt guinea pigs rather than geese.  Here are some issues to consider:

1)      Bird Type

The term “poultry” can cover a wide range of species and breeds of birds, and extensive research should precede bringing birds home.  Don’t just pounce on the cutest chicks or ducklings that show up in feed stores in the spring.  Do you want to raise broilers for meat or layers for eggs, bantams for competition or peacocks for aesthetics?   While “commercial” breeds such as Cornish-Rocks (as broilers) and White Leghorns (as layers) might make for a bland flock with their white feathers and single combs, they are extremely efficient and give the most bang for their cluck.  Other breeds of chickens, as well as ducks, geese, etc., vary widely in meat-producing and egg-laying abilities, ranging from fair to excellent, so research is definitely a requirement in this regard.  For example, if you are interested in brown eggs, Rhode Island Red hens are a good choice, but make sure you specify for all female chicks from a hatchery; the male Rhode Island Reds can be vicious.  This ties into how temperaments should also be considered: while some breeds are known for docility, others, especially those originally bred for cockfighting, can be downright mean.  The African goose I raised was very possessive of our ducks, and went into “crazy mama mood” whenever I tried to get near them.  That being said, knowing how species and sexes interact will also help you decide the makeup of your flock.

2)      Input and Output

Like all domesticated animals, poultry rely on humans for their basic needs, so you must be up to the task.  Can you afford or construct a chicken coop that will keep out the elements and predators?  Where will you buy feed and equipment such as waterers, feeders, and nest boxes?  Is an outside water spigot handy to keep your birds easily and reliably hydrated?  Does your schedule allow for regular and sincere (not slapdash) care?  Do you know a local veterinarian that has practice with treating poultry?  If you do fulfill all these requirements, you can have a happy, productive flock that gives you more than eggs, meat, and charm.  Neighbors may not appreciate the pile of soiled bedding and excreta growing in your backyard, so a plan for properly disposing these must be established.  Noise is also a concern.  While roosters may crow heartily, hens can also squawk quite loudly, and geese are notoriously cacophonous.  Don’t even get me started on the ruckus guinea hens make.  Also, the odors that poultry generate can be quite strong, and if adequate ventilation does not spare your neighbors from them, conflicts may ensue.

3)      Bye-bye, Birdie

In the NBC News article mentioned above, many layers are abandoned when novice owners make the shocking realization that hens live way beyond their egg-laying years.  However, though not specified as “meat birds,” retired laying hens can still contribute to mealtime.  Our old layers were butchered at the same local facility that processed our broilers and made excellent chicken noodle soup.  Knowing where to send birds for humane, sanitary butchering and packaging is essential, as I can hardly imagine many neighborhoods and cities condoning at-home butchering in the backyard.  If you make the choice to remove poultry from your home but they are not suitable for consumption, where will you send them?  When my family moved from our hobby farm, we brought our birds to a legitimate poultry and small animal auction.  Events such as these are much more well-suited than local animal shelters for taking in poultry.  Knowing where poultry enthusiasts gather to bring home new birds will help ensure your flock’s health in case you can no longer care for them.

                Raising your own poultry can be very rewarding, but it comes with responsibilities.  Don’t forget that poultry are not just feathered lawn ornaments: they need care and protection just like any other pet or livestock.  Poultry species and breeds cover a wide gamut of sizes, shapes, temperaments, and purposes, and you should only raise the ones that fit your abilities and needs and interact well together.  Have a plan for the end of your birds’ lives, and whether they are destined to be a winner or a dinner, fill their days with proper care. And of course, make sure your endeavors fit within the statutes in place wherever you live.

If you’d like to learn more about raising birds in an urban environment, check out this resource from the American Poultry Association: http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/Raising_birds_city.htm

B12: Of Beef and Bacteria

Just as hamburgers, steaks, chicken wings, pork chops, and other meat products bring unique flavors and aromas to the dinner table, they provide many components necessary for human health.  In fact, meat and other animal products provide some nutrients not found in other foods.  Among those is cyanocobalamin, more commonly known as vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 is produced by microorganisms that can be found in the environment and inside animals.  Those inside animals make the vitamin in the intestine, and the vitamin can then travel to other organs, muscles, and products (milk and eggs) which can then be incorporated in the human diet (Vitamin B12, n.d.).  Beef liver and clams are the best sources of the vitamin, followed by fish, poultry, meat, milk, eggs, and other dairy products (Office of Dietary Supplements [ODS], 2011).  Red meat is a particularly affordable and diversifiable source of B12.  For example, a single 100 g serving of red meat (such as a 3.5 oz. hamburger patty) can provide 66% of an adult’s daily need for the vitamin (McAfee et al., 2010).  If an insufficient level of vitamin B12 is maintained, weakness, weight loss, tiredness, confusion, loss of appetite, and other health problems may develop (ODS, 2011).  However, though some people may consume enough of the vitamin B12 through their diet, they may not be able to use it.  Vitamin B12 must first be separated from its bound protein and then affiliate with an “intrinsic factor” in the stomach before being absorbed (Vitamin B12, n.d.).  When dietary vitamin B12 cannot be utilized, a supplement is necessary to avoid a deficiency.

According to the National Institute of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements, the amount of vitamin B12 people need to consume each day varies by age but is essential during all stages of life, as shown in Table 1 (2011).  Problems with metabolism, red blood cell formation, and nervous system performance can result from a vitamin B12 deficiency, and the best way to ensure adequate vitamin B12 levels is to incorporate a variety of animal products into the diet (New York Times, 2011). 

Table 1: Daily recommended amount of vitamin B12 in micrograms (mcg).  The daily recommended amounts increase due to age or special conditions such as pregnancy or lactation (ODS, 2011).

Life Stage	Recommended Amount
Birth to 6 months	0.4 mcg
Infants 7–12 months	0.5 mcg
Children 1–3 years	0.9 mcg
Children 4–8 years	1.2 mcg
Children 9–13 years	1.8 mcg
Teens 14–18 years	2.4 mcg
Adults	2.4 mcg
Pregnant teens and women	2.6 mcg
Breastfeeding teens and women	2.8 mcg

While adults can endure a vitamin B12 deficiency for several years before showing its symptoms, newborns can show its effects soon after birth (Dror & Allen, 2008).  In a healthy pregnant woman, vitamin B12 will travel to the placenta and then to the growing child (Vitamin B12, n.d.).  If the mother, unable to absorb the vitamin or, by choice or not, lacking vitamin B12 in her diet, maintains a low level of this vitamin before and during pregnancy, her unborn child will not receive enough of the vitamin (Dror & Allen, 2008).  In a study by Majchrzak and colleagues (2006) comparing B-vitamin levels in people with different diets, omnivores possessed adequate levels of vitamin B12 whereas vegetarians and vegans displayed inadequacies of the vitamin.  It could then be conjectured that pregnant women eating a balanced diet that includes meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy are much more likely to deliver enough B12 to their unborn children than women avoiding these foods.  Being unable to absorb vitamin B12, not having access to animal products, or choosing not to consumer animal products can cause irritability, failure to thrive, poor development, and apathy in newborns if the mother does not receive a vitamin B12 supplement.

In conclusion, people who enjoy a variety of protein sources including red meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy and effectively absorb and use these food’ nutrients can avoid multitudes of deficiencies, especially that of vitamin B12.  Those who cannot absorb the vitamin, cannot obtain animal products, or choose not to consume animal products need to receive a vitamin B12 supplement to avoid a deficiency.  As for me, I am happy to obtain my vitamin B12 from a bacon-topped turkey burger or ham and cheese omelet rather than the encapsulated products of a bacteria culture. 

References

Dror, D.K., Allen, L.H.  (2008).  Effect of vitamin B12 deficiency on neurodevelopment in infants: current knowledge and possible mechanisms.  Nutrition Reviews 66(5), 250-255. DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2008.00031.x

Majchrak, D., Singer, I., Maenner, M., Rust, P., Genser, D., Wagner, K.H., Elmadfa, I.  (2006).  B-vitamin status and concentrations of homocysteine in Austrian omnivores, vegetarians and vegans.  Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 50(6), 485-491. DOI: 10.1159/000095828

McAfee, A.J., McSorley, E.M., Cuskelly, G.J., Moss, B.W., Wallace, J.M.W., Bonham, M.P, Fearon, A.M.  (2010).  Red meat consumption: An overview of the risks and benefits.  Meat Science 84(1), 1-13.

New York Times (2011, February 15).  Vitamin B12.  Retrieved from http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/vitamin-b12.

Office of Dietary Supplements (2011, June 24).  Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12.  Retrieved from http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-QuickFacts/.

Vitamin B12 – Compound Summary. (n.d.)  In PubChem Compound.  Retrieved from http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=16212801&loc=ec_rcs

Meaty Mondays

   The phrase “Meatless Monday” is spreading through social and news media lately, and rather than remaining a personal preference is creeping into legislation.  Recently, the San Diego Unified School District Board voted to bring Meatless Mondays to its elementary school lunchrooms.  One board trustee reportedly said the board’s job “is to improve our students’ prospects for a healthy, happy and successful life.  …Learning how to make good food choices is an essential component” (CBS 8, 2013).  However, whether children experiencing at least one meat-free school lunch will establish and enforce healthy ideas about food and nutrition remains uncertain.  And is this fear-mongering about meat actually inspired by hard evidence that meat is “bad” for human health?  Let’s take a closer look at the value of meat in a well-balanced diet.

   In the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, Americans are encouraged to embrace three major ideas concerning their health: 

1)      Balance calories with physical activity to manage weight. 

2)      Consume more of certain foods and nutrients such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and seafood. 

3)      Consume fewer foods with sodium (salt), saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, and refined grains. (USDA and USDHHS, 2010)

   Nowhere within the Guidelines is “Meatless Monday” found, and, in fact, “seafood, lean meats and poultry” are mentioned among the nutrient-dense foods Americans are encouraged to eat.  Protein sources are suggested to be varied, and may come in the form of “seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans and peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds” (USDA and USDHHS, 2010).  However, protein sources vary in the nutrients they contain.  While some may be high in protein, they might also be high in fat, sugar, or sodium.  The following table presents the nutrient data of several entrees that may be served for lunch at elementary schools.  All data are from the “What’s In the Foods You Eat Search Tool” powered by the USDA Agricultural Research Service (USDA, 2013).  All entrees highlighted yellow may be served for Meatless Mondays as long as fish and eggs are not considered “meat.”

Food	Calories	Protein (g)	Total Fat (g)	Carbohydrate (g)	Sugars (g)	Iron (mg)	Sodium (mg)
3.5 oz hamburger patty	180	14	13.32	0	0	1.48	47
3 oz. skinless chicken breast, roasted, broiled, or baked	119	22.35	2.83	0	0	0.36	466
4 chicken nuggets	189	9.56	12	11	0.57	0.56	383
1 cup beef stew with potatoes and vegetables, tomato-based sauce	207	16.68	5.85	21.5	2.49	2.49	554
Low-fat beef hot dog, no bun	134	7.28	11.22	0.97	0	0.7	600
Vegetarian burger/patty; no bun	124	11	4.41	10	0.75	1.69	398
Grilled cheese sandwich	282	9.45	14.64	28.04	4.31	2.12	669
2.5" x 4" slice meatless lasagna	334	17.62	10	43.56	6.74	2.72	804
Fish sandwich, on bun, with spread	360	13.16	13.48	45.54	6	2.73	675
1 cup black bean soup	114	6	1.63	19.04	3.06	1.85	1203
1 cup red beans and rice	284	7.8	11.16	38.57	3	2.26	645
1 enchilada with beans and cheese	231	9.05	11.53	24.44	2.58	1.53	379
2 scrambled eggs	159	13.65	10.16	2.22	1.94	1.77	313
Tuna salad sandwich	290	19.67	7.06	36.52	8.57	3.01	686
Peanut butter sandwich	337	12.95	16.14	37.4	5.88	2.86	447

   
   From these comparisons, we see that protein sources contribute different levels of fat, protein, carbohydrate, iron, and other nutrients to the human diet.  Despite its negative reputation as a processed meat, the low-fat beef hot dog contains half the amount of sodium as a cup of black bean soup.  Beef stew trumps a bean and cheese enchilada for protein and iron levels.  And the classic hamburger patty has fewer calories, more protein, and less fat than a grilled cheese sandwich.  Granted, the nutrient data presented here may be improved by using whole grain bread for sandwiches and including vegetables in the scrambled eggs, but the point is to show how a lack of meat does not necessarily make a food the better choice for human health. 

   Children are impressionable.  Hearing the phrase “Meatless Monday” may prompt them to see meat as something to be avoided instead of incorporated into a well-balanced diet.  Why not teach children, and adults, more about meat composition rather than generalize meat as “a bad thing”?  Meats come from many animals, are cut or processed in a multitude of ways, and can be cooked and prepared through limitless means.  Perhaps instead of unjustly blaming meat as the root for so many health concerns, we can concentrate on what really affects health: overloads of saturated fats and sodium, and deficiencies of vitamins and fiber, for examples. “High Fiber Friday” may not have the same ring as “Meatless Monday,” but the focus on nutrients is more beneficial than the exclusion of an entire food group.

References

CBS 8.  (2013, June 5).  San Diego school board approves “Meatless Monday” lunches.  Retrieved from http://www.cbs8.com/story/22504828/san-diego-school-board-approves-meatless-monday-lunches.

U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  (2010, December).  Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, 7^th Edition.  Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

U.S. Department of Agriculture.  (2013, May).  What’s in the Foods You Eat Search Tool, 5.0.  Retrieved from http://reedir.arsnet.usda.gov/codesearchwebapp/(nypr1cqxfmt1zf45anr2sm55)/codesearch.aspx.

"I'm (Naturally) Cured!"

   Today on Meatingplace.com, one of the highlighted stories discussed the differences between naturally and conventionally cured meat products.  The original article can be seen here: http://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/TechnicalArticles/Details/42243.  Since my graduate research is focusing on the process of natural curing, I was definitely excited to see this sector of the meat industry in the spotlight.  Many consumers might wonder about the differences among conventional, natural, and organic meat products.  “Organic” is a well-defined, highly legalized term that can only be applied to foods that meet strict requirements.  “Natural” is more open for interpretation.  However, one of the qualifications for natural (and organic) meat products is the exclusion of synthetic nitrites and nitrates (Sebranek, Jackson-Davis, Myers, & Lavieri, 2012).  Nitrite (mostly in the form of sodium nitrite) is added to conventionally cured products such as bacon, ham, frankfurters, bologna, salami, and others.  Nitrite plays many roles in meat products: a color fixative, antioxidant, flavor imparter, and antimicrobial.  So how can “natural” products match up to their conventional counterparts without the addition of nitrite?  Let’s investigate.

   For thousands of years, salt was added to meat in the act of preservation, and the ancient packers eventually realized some salts preserved meat better than other salts.  The more effective salt, known as saltpeter, contained nitrate (Honikel, 2008).  Later, nitrite, which can be made from the nitrate added to meat, was discovered to be the major component in curing.  Next, scientists realized nitric oxide, made from nitrite, was the compound that bound to myoglobin (an oxygen-transporting molecule in muscle) during meat curing (Parthasarathy & Bryan, 2012).  Nitric oxide was also assumed to provide antimicrobial protection, especially against anaerobic bacteria like Clostridium botulinum, which can produce a deadly toxin that causes botulism (Cammack, Joannou, Cui, Martinez, Maraj & Hughes, 1999).  The interaction of nitric oxide and nitrite with metal-containing compounds can also deter lipid oxidation and, as a result, influence the flavor of cured meat products. (MacDonald, Gray, Kakuda & Lee, 1980).

   But if nitrite can do all these important, wonderful things, why would it need to be kept out of products?  In the 1960s and 1970s, concerns over the formation of nitrosamines in nitrite-containing meat products were raised (Sebranek & Bacus, 2007a).  Nitrosamines are carcinogenic, and can be formed between nitrite and secondary amines in a high temperature, low pH environment (Honikel, 2008).  The residual nitrite amount (that is, how much free nitrite is in the product after production) will determine the chances of nitrosamine formation: more residual nitrite increases the potential for these compounds to be made (Sebranek & Bacus, 2007a).  However, inclusion of cure accelerators, such as ascorbate and erythorbate salts, increases the rate of change of nitrite to nitric oxide, reduces the amount of leftover nitrite, and thus decreases the chances of nitrosamine formation (Parthasarathy & Bryan, 2012).  Applying this knowledge to meat product formulations has severely reduced the risk of dangerous nitrosamine levels in meat products, and today the amount of residual nitrite in meat products is about 1/5 of what it was forty years ago (Cassens, 1997).

   Still, some consumers prefer “natural” products for a variety of reasons, and meat scientists are continuing to develop methods to make such products.  The standard method involves the inclusion of nitrate or nitrite from a natural source such as vegetables (Sebranek & Bacus, 2007a).  Celery, spinach, beets, kale, and other vegetables are naturally rich in nitrate.  When powders made from these vegetables are treated with starter cultures (either before or after being mixed with other ingredients), the nitrate is reduced to nitrite that can work its magic inside meat products (Sebranek & Bacus, 2007a).  Certain problems arise from this, however: the exact amount of ingoing nitrite may only be guessed, and it is generally lower than the amount of ingoing nitrite in conventional products (Sebranek & Bacus, 2007a).  The lower level of original nitrite can, later on, jeopardize meat quality, depending on storage conditions (Sebranek and Bacus, 2007b).  Perhaps the most critical concern for natural meat products is food safety; while lower ingoing nitrite levels can mimic conventional flavor and color, sufficient antimicrobial activity may not be observed in natural products (Sebranek, 1979).

   While companies would never intentionally sell sub-par products, consumers should be aware that products made by different methods may have different qualities.  Natural meat products do not contain artificial ingredients, including pure sodium nitrite, and therefore the products’ flavor, color, or longevity may not match those of conventional meat products.  Also, if consumers are purchasing “natural” meat products merely due to concerns about nitrite intake, they should be aware that the miniscule amount of nitrite in meat products (7 grams of nitrite per 100 pounds meat, typically) contributes just a small fraction of nitrite to the human diet (Milkowski, Garg, Coughlin, & Bryan, 2010).  The safeguards that sodium nitrite provides against dangerous bacteria like C. botulinum, in my opinion, outweigh the minute risks of nitrosamine formation.

References

1.       Sebranek, J.G., Jackson-Davis, A.L., Myers, K.L., Lavieri, N.A.  (2012).  Beyond celery and starter culture: Advances in natural/organic curing processes in the United States.  Meat Science, 92, 267-273.

2.       Honikel, K.O.  (2008).  The use and control of nitrate and nitrite for the processing of meat products.  Meat Science,  78, 68-76.

3.       Parthasarathy, D.K., Bryan, N.S.  (2012).  Sodium nitrite: The “cure” for nitric oxide insufficiency.  Meat Science, 92, 274-279.

4.       Cammack, R., Joannou, C.L., Cui, X.Y., Martinez, C.L., Maraj, S.R., Hughes, M.N.  (1999)  Nitrite and nitrosyl compounds in food preservation.   Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1411, 475-488.

5.       MacDonald, B., Gray, J.I., Kakuda, Y., Lee, M.L.  (1980).  Role of nitrite in cured meat flavor: chemical analysis.  Journal of Food Science, 45(4), 889-892.

6.       Sebranek, J.G., Bacus, J.N.  (2007a).  Cured meat products without direct addition of nitrate or nitrite: what are the issues?  Meat Science, 77, 136-147.

7.       Sebranek, J., Bacus, J.  (2007b).  Natural and organic meat products: regulatory, manufacturing, marketing, quality and safety issues.  American Meat Science Association White Paper Series, 1, 1-15.

8.       Milkowski, A., Garg, H.K., Coughlin, J.G., Bryan, N.S.  (2010).  Nutritional epidemiology in the context of nitric oxide biology:  A risk-benefit evaluation for dietary nitrite and nitrate.  Nitric Oxide, 22, 110-119.

Not in MY McNuggets!

Red flags unfurled and waved wildly in my mind when I saw this article from Food Safety Magazine: “High Arsenic Levels Found in U.S. Chicken.”  The original article can be viewed here: http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/news/high-arsenic-levels-found-in-us-chicken/.  Now, arsenic can be a deadly thing; after all, it’s often the poison of choice in melodramas.  Just a small amount can be lethal: an oral dose of 60 mg is fatal to the average human (Minnesota Department of Health, 2012).  However, would companies really sell chicken meat that contains a known poisonous substance?  And just how reliable is the research that this article quotes?  Let’s take a closer look at the facts:

The Food Safety Magazine article alludes to “Arsenic species in poultry feather meal” published in a 2012 volume of Science of the Total Environment.  Rather than testing arsenic levels in chicken meat that would be directly eaten, the researchers looked at arsenic levels in feathers, which are not directly eaten by consumers.  The researchers reasoned that since feather meal is often used a protein source for fertilizers and animal feeds, the use of arsenic-tainted feather meal for these purposes could have harmful effects on humans.  This is a well-intentioned but perhaps unnecessary concern.  After all, the researchers found the concentration of inorganic arsenic in their samples was approximately 2 parts per billion (National Chicken Council, 2013).  The maximum contaminant level for arsenic in drinking water is 10 parts per billion (Environmental Protection Agency, 2012).  The average level of arsenic in soil is 3-4 parts per million (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 2011).  Therefore, the chicken feathers contained less arsenic than may be found in both water and soil.

*             *             *

Another issue with the Science of the Total Environment article is the reference to the product roxarsone, allegedly added to the diets of broilers (chickens raised for meat production).  However, the researchers admitted that no connection between roxarsone and the presence of inorganic arsenic in feathers could be found:   

“In this study we had no information on the precise contribution of roxarsone to inorganic arsenic exposure in feather meal.” (Nachman, Raber, Frcesconi, Navas-Acien & Love, 2012).

Still, the researchers expressed their continued concern about the use of this product:

 “However, given the common use of roxarsone in poultry production, the increase in inorganic arsenic exposure in livers of chickens fed roxarsone, and the likely accumulation of inorganic arsenic in feathers, inorganic arsenic measured in feather meal in this study may have originated from the practice of administering roxarsone to broiler chickens in the context of industrial poultry production.” (Nachman, et al., 2012).

However, this concern is virtually unfounded today: since June 2011, roxarsone has no longer been used to supplement the diets of broilers (National Chicken Council, 2013). 

*             *             *

The last detail to raise doubt in this study is the relatively small sample size from which arsenic levels were determined.  Samples of feathers came from twelve locations: one each from Tennessee, Pennsylvania, California, and Idaho; two from Arkansas, four from Oregon, and two from China (Nachman, et al., 2012).  However, the specific locations and suppliers from whence the feathers came were not mentioned.  Basing analyses on such a small sample and not disclosing the origins of the sample materials is ill-practice in the world of peer-reviewed journals (Hofacre, 2012).  These samples might have all come from farms raising “free-range” broilers experiencing greater contact with soil and unregulated water sources, or from farms raising conventional broilers living in a controlled, indoor environment.  Such different rearing methods could arguably result in different levels of exposure to arsenic.

In conclusion, since arsenic is present in the air, water, and soil, it’s not surprising a small amount would end up on chicken feathers.  But remember, the arsenic levels found on the feathers were extremely low, and if contaminated feathers might pose a problem when added to fertilizers or animal feeds, they would not be added.  Given the thorough processing feathers endure before they are included in fertilizers or feeds, there is adequate time to check for feather quality and the presence of any contaminants (Moritz & Latshoaw, 2001). But again, the arsenic is appearing on feathers, not meat.  In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture monitors chicken meat for arsenic levels, and in the past 20 years has found zero samples that violate the level set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (National Chicken Council, 2012).  With strict guidelines in place for levels of components in meat, milk, and all manner of animal products, the U.S. food supply is kept as safe as possible. 

References

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.  (March 3, 2011).  Toxic substances portal – arsenic.  Retrieved from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=18&tid=3#bookmark03

Environmental Protection Agency.  (May 21, 2012).  Basic Information about arsenic in drinking water.  Retrieved from http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/arsenic.cfm

Hofacre, C.L., (2012, April 24). Bloomberg chicken study is flawed.  The Baltimore Sun.  Retrieved from http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-04-24/news/bs-ed-chicken-study-letter-20120424_1_peer-review-chicken-samples

Minnesota Department of Health.  (November 21, 2012).  Arsenic.  Retrieved from http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/hazardous/topics/arsenic.html#health

Moritz, J.S. & Latshaw, J.D.  (2001).  Indicators of nutritional value of hydrolyzed feather meal.  Poultry Science, 80, 79-86.

Nachman, K.E., Raber, G., Francesconi, K.A., Navas-Acien, A., & Love, D.C.  (2012).  Arsenic species in poultry feather meal.  Science of the Total Environment, 417-418, 183-188.

National Chicken Council.  (September 18, 2012).  Arsenic & chicken? No need to worry.  Retrieved from http://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/arsenic-chicken-no-need-to-worry/

National Chicken Council.  (May 11, 2013).  NCC responds to misleading Johns Hopkins study; says arsenicals no longer fed to broilers.  Retrieved from http://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/ncc-responds-to-misleading-johns-hopkins-study-says-arsenicals-no-longer-fed-to-broilers/

Minnesota Department of Health.  (November 21, 2012).  Arsenic.  Retrieved from http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/hazardous/topics/arsenic.html#health