Claire Thompson
In 2011, the FDA announced that Pfizer would discontinue sales of Roxarsone, an animal drug containing inorganic arsenic, an ingredient in chicken feed. The FDA stressed that the amount of arsenic found in chicken meat was too tiny to be dangerous to human health. However, in 2015, Snopes debunked a claim that the FDA had announced that 70% of chickens contain cancer-causing arsenic. The FDA has set tolerance levels for arsenic in foods and beverages, and all chicken produced in the US is inspected by the USDA, with zero samples violating the tolerance level in the last 25 years. While the FDA has not explicitly admitted that chicken meat contains cancer-causing arsenic, it has acknowledged the presence of arsenic in chicken and taken steps to address the issue.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Did FDA admit chicken meat contains cancer-causing arsenic? | The FDA admitted in 2015 that 70% of chickens sold for food in the U.S. contain cancer-causing arsenic. However, the FDA stressed that the amount of arsenic was too tiny to be dangerous to humans. |
| What is arsenic? | Arsenic is a natural component of the earth's crust, distributed through air, water, and land. |
| How does arsenic get into chicken meat? | Arsenic is added to chicken feed to induce faster weight gain and create the appearance of healthy colouring in the meat. |
| What is the impact of arsenic on human health? | Exposure to high levels of arsenic has been linked to different types of cancer. |
| What did the FDA do about the presence of arsenic in chicken meat? | The FDA announced in 2011 that Pfizer would discontinue sales of an arsenic-containing feed additive. The FDA has also set tolerance levels for arsenic in foods and beverages. |
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What You'll Learn
- The FDA has never admitted that chicken meat contains cancer-causing arsenic
- In 2011, the FDA suspended sales of Roxarsone, an animal drug containing inorganic arsenic
- The FDA stressed that levels of arsenic in chicken were too low to be dangerous to humans
- The FDA has been monitoring arsenic in the food supply for years
- The FDA ordered arsenic to be phased out of meat production
The FDA has never admitted that chicken meat contains cancer-causing arsenic
It is false that the FDA has ever admitted that chicken meat contains cancer-causing arsenic. In 2015, Snopes debunked the claim that "the FDA announced in 2015 that 70% of chickens contain cancer-causing arsenic".
In 2011, the FDA did suspend certain products after very low" levels of inorganic arsenic were found in chickens. However, the FDA stressed that the levels were too low to pose a threat to human health. The FDA's arsenic limit is two parts per million in liver and other edible byproducts and one-half part (0.5) per million in muscle meat. In testing, the FDA has found arsenic at only one-twenty-fifth of the safe tolerance level in chicken.
In 2011, the FDA announced that an animal drug produced by Alpharma, a subsidiary of the American Pfizer, would be suspended because regulators found inorganic arsenic in chickens that consumed the drug. The drug, 3-Nitro, also known as Roxarsone, was originally approved for use by poultry farmers in 1944. Pfizer, the manufacturer of Roxarsone, announced it would discontinue sales of that feed additive, although it claimed its own studies showed the product to be completely safe. The FDA stressed that the amount of arsenic making its way into chicken meat was too tiny to be dangerous to people who might eat it.
In 2015, the FDA conducted several follow-up studies that affirmed the results of the 2011 study. The FDA has never stated that chicken meat contains cancer-causing arsenic.
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In 2011, the FDA suspended sales of Roxarsone, an animal drug containing inorganic arsenic
The FDA's decision to suspend Roxarsone sales came after a study found that chickens fed roxarsone had higher levels of inorganic arsenic in their livers than untreated chickens. The study, conducted by the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine and the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, measured the amount of inorganic arsenic in the livers of 100 chickens, half of which were fed roxarsone. The researchers found that the chickens fed roxarsone had higher levels of inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen.
Following the FDA's announcement, Pfizer, the manufacturer of Roxarsone, announced it would discontinue sales of the feed additive. The company stated that it would pull the product off the market in the United States. Many poultry producers had already stopped using Roxarsone as an ingredient in chicken feed.
In 2015, Snopes debunked the claim that the FDA announced that 70% of chickens contain cancer-causing arsenic. The FDA has never stated that chicken meat contains cancer-causing levels of arsenic. The agency has set tolerance levels for arsenic in foods and beverages, and all chicken produced in the United States is inspected by the USDA to ensure compliance with these standards.
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The FDA stressed that levels of arsenic in chicken were too low to be dangerous to humans
In 2011, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended the use of Roxarsone, an animal drug produced by Alpharma, a subsidiary of Pfizer, after finding "very low" levels of inorganic arsenic in chickens that consumed it. The FDA stressed that the arsenic levels were too low to pose a health risk and that people could continue eating chicken while the drug was phased out.
The FDA's announcement followed a study by the agency that showed that Roxarsone, an ingredient in chicken feed that contains arsenic, may make its way into parts of the bird that are eaten. Previous studies had indicated that arsenic was eliminated with chicken waste.
Despite the FDA's assurances, the announcement caused widespread concern on social media about the safety of commercially produced chicken products. Some Facebook posts claimed that the FDA had admitted that 70% of chicken meat in the market contains cancer-causing arsenic. However, the FDA made no such announcement, and Snopes has debunked this claim as false.
While it is true that arsenic is a known carcinogen and can be harmful to human health in high doses, the levels detected in chickens were very low. The FDA sets tolerance levels for arsenic in foods and beverages, and the agency's testing of cooked food found arsenic at only one-twenty-fifth of the safe tolerance level in chicken.
In addition, the National Chicken Council has stated that chickens produced for meat in the United States, known as broilers, are not given arsenic as an additive in chicken feed. While some broiler flocks used to be given feed that contained a product called 3-Nitro, which included safe levels of organic arsenic, this product was removed from the market in June 2011 and is no longer used in raising broilers in the United States.
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The FDA has been monitoring arsenic in the food supply for years
Arsenic is toxic to humans and can affect people of any age or health status. One form of arsenic, inorganic arsenic, is the most potentially harmful. Long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic has been associated with skin disorders and increased risks for skin, bladder, and lung cancers, and cardiovascular disease. Short-term exposure to very high amounts of inorganic arsenic can result in nausea, vomiting, bruising, and numbness or burning sensations in the hands and feet.
The FDA has conducted routine surveillance for arsenic in apple juice for many years and found that apple juice generally has low levels of inorganic arsenic. The FDA has also tested arsenic levels in rice and rice products, and in infant food. The FDA has taken action to reduce concentrations of lead in food. However, the agency has done less to address arsenic risks.
In 2011, the FDA suspended certain products after very low levels of inorganic arsenic were found in chickens. The FDA stressed that the amount was too tiny to be dangerous to people who eat it. In 2015, Snopes debunked a false claim that the FDA had announced that 70% of chickens contain cancer-causing arsenic. The FDA has never stated that chicken meat contains cancer-causing arsenic.
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The FDA ordered arsenic to be phased out of meat production
In 2011, the FDA announced that Pfizer would discontinue sales of an arsenic-containing feed additive called Roxarsone. The FDA stressed that the amount of arsenic found in chickens was very low and did not pose a threat to human health. However, the FDA acknowledged that scientific reports on arsenical compounds in animal feed challenged previous assumptions of safety. In particular, there was concern over the ability of organic arsenic to transform into inorganic arsenic, which is known to be carcinogenic.
In response to these findings, the FDA ordered the phase-out of arsenic-containing additives in animal feed. The FDA's decision was influenced by legal pressure from outside groups, such as the Center for Food Safety, who argued that the use of arsenic in animal feed posed unnecessary risks to public health. As a result of the FDA's actions, there are no longer any FDA-approved arsenic-containing products for chickens.
The FDA has provided oversight and guidance to ensure the safety of food and beverages in the U.S. Through its Total Diet Study, the FDA has been monitoring arsenic in the food supply for years. The FDA sets tolerance levels for arsenic in foods and beverages, and all chicken produced in the United States is inspected by the USDA to ensure compliance with these standards.
While the FDA has taken steps to address the presence of arsenic in meat production, it is important to note that the agency has never stated that chicken meat contains cancer-causing levels of arsenic. Claims that the FDA admitted that 70% of chicken meat contains carcinogenic arsenic are misleading. The FDA has conducted follow-up studies that affirmed the results of the 2011 study, and the agency continues to work towards ridding arsenic from the meat supply.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, in 2015, the FDA admitted that 70% of chickens sold for food in the U.S. contain cancer-causing arsenic. However, the FDA stressed that the amount of arsenic was too tiny to be dangerous to humans.
Arsenic was found in chicken meat due to the use of arsenical drugs in poultry feed. These drugs were used to induce faster weight gain and create the appearance of healthy-looking meat.
The FDA has ordered the toxic chemical to be phased out of meat completely. The FDA also provides oversight and guidance to ensure that food and beverages in the U.S. are safe for consumption.
