Emily Carter
Chicken and cattle meat are a significant part of the human diet, providing essential nutrients that are hard to obtain elsewhere. The demand for nutritious food has increased, leading to a rise in the use of growth promoters, including hormones, to meet population needs. While the poultry industry denies the use of hormones in chicken production, there is evidence of hormonal residues in chicken meat, which can pose a risk to human health. This has been the case in chicken samples from Egypt, where estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone residues were found. These hormones are used to increase nitrogen retention and protein deposition in livestock, leading to increased meat production. The detection of steroid residues in chicken meat is challenging, but techniques like thin-layer chromatography (TLC) can be employed for screening. The presence of steroids in chicken meat raises concerns about the potential impact on human health, with residues accumulating in edible tissues.
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What You'll Learn
Hormones are not used in poultry production
Despite common misconceptions, no hormones are used in poultry production. This is true for chicken sold or raised in the U.S., and has been the case for over 50 years. The confusion may arise from the fact that the poultry and beef industries operate under different regulations; while growth hormones are banned in poultry production, they are a common practice in the beef cattle industry.
There are several reasons why hormones are not used in poultry production. Firstly, they are unnecessary. The poultry industry has a good understanding of what different genetic strains of birds should be fed, and birds are kept to specific target weights in terms of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals to optimise performance and growth. The industry also understands the kind of environment the bird needs to make the most of its genetic and nutritional potential. This includes providing the proper temperature, air quality, ventilation, lighting and feeder and drinker space to obtain optimum performance. The right environment, coupled with high-quality feed and superior genetics, yields a bird that does not require and would not benefit from growth hormones.
Secondly, the use of growth hormones in poultry production is unprofitable. The cost of a single injection per chicken represents ~10% of the overhead cost or ~1% of the total production cost. The cost of the growth hormone exceeds the grow-out budget intended to buy all disease prophylactic treatments.
Finally, the use of growth hormones in poultry production is illegal in many countries.
Hormones exist in two different chemical forms: steroids and proteins. Steroid hormones are active in the body when taken orally, whereas protein hormones must be injected to have an effect on the body. This is why most feedlot cattle receive growth hormones as pellets injected under the skin of the ear.
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Thin-layer chromatography can detect steroids in chicken
It is important to clarify that, according to multiple sources, chickens do not receive growth hormones. The poultry industry does not use hormones in poultry production.
However, there are concerns about the presence of hormonal residues in chicken meat, which poses a risk to consumer health. Chicken meat is the most popular and produced meat source, and its production is continuously increasing. The demand for nutritious food, especially animal-based protein, has increased, leading to the usage of growth promoters to meet population needs. Growth promoters are substances added to animal feed to increase meat production, and hormones are one such growth promoter. Estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, zeranol, trenbolone, and melengestrol are the most common anabolic hormones used to increase nitrogen retention and protein deposition in livestock.
Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is a technique that can be used to address the challenge of detecting steroid residues in chicken. TLC is a chromatographic method that separates the components of a mixture using a thin stationary phase supported by an inert backing. It is a widely used analytical tool due to its simplicity, low cost, high sensitivity, and speed of separation.
TLC can be employed as a screening method to analyze steroids and their metabolites in various samples, including chicken meat. It can detect the presence of steroid residues, such as dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic glucocorticoid used as a growth promoter. In a study, muscle samples from chickens fed DEX were collected, and the residue of DEX in the meat was successfully detected using TLC. This technique allows for the separation and visualization of spots under ultraviolet rays, indicating the presence of steroids.
Overall, thin-layer chromatography is a valuable method for detecting steroids in chicken, ensuring consumer safety, and providing insights into meat quality and animal growth practices.
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Chicken with steroids has higher meat-to-body-weight
There is a lot of confusion and concern surrounding the topic of steroids and hormones in chicken meat. While some sources state that chickens are not given hormones or steroids in the US, others discuss the presence of steroidal residues in chicken meat and the use of growth promoters in poultry feed. It is important to clarify that the use of hormones and steroids in chicken production is illegal and is not a common practice.
The presence of steroids or hormones in chicken meat is a growing concern for consumers, especially in Europe and the United States. Chicken meat is the most popular and produced meat source due to its low price compared to other meats like beef. The demand for nutritious food, especially animal-based protein, has increased, leading to a rise in the usage of growth promoters to meet population needs with high-yield production in a short time. Growth promoters, including hormones and steroids, are substances added to animal feed or implanted in them to increase meat production.
In a study by Akter et al. (2021), it was found that administering a high dosage of dexamethasone (DEX), a commonly used steroid growth promoter, to broiler chickens resulted in a decrease in overall weight gain and a reduction in the number of myofibers in breast meat. However, the relative meat weight (meat/body weight) was significantly increased in the chicks fed DEX. This indicates that while the total weight gain may decrease with steroid use, the ratio of meat to body weight is higher, resulting in a higher proportion of meat yield.
The use of anabolic steroids and growth promoters in poultry has been associated with the buildup of residues in the tissue, which can pose a risk to public health. These residues can be difficult to detect in biological samples, but thin-layer chromatography (TLC) can be used as a screening method to analyze their presence. Additionally, high insulin levels in the blood due to steroid administration may lead to increased fat deposition, resulting in darker meat.
In conclusion, while the use of steroids and hormones in chicken production is not common and is illegal in many places, there is evidence that their use can lead to an increased meat-to-body-weight ratio. However, it is important to consider the potential health risks associated with steroid residues in meat and the negative impact on overall weight gain and meat quality.
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Chicken is the most produced meat source
Chicken is the most popular and produced meat source, with an estimated production of 21 million metric tons in the United States alone in 2023. Its low price compared to other meats like beef makes it a popular choice, and global production has been steadily increasing. In Egypt, for example, chicken meat production was estimated at around 1.5 million tons in 2020 and increased to 1.59 million tons in 2023.
Chicken meat production's rise can be attributed to various factors, including the increasing global demand for nutritious food, especially livestock products. To meet these demands, producers use growth promoters, such as hormones, to increase meat production rates. However, it is important to note that the use of hormones in poultry production is a controversial topic. While some sources indicate the presence of hormonal residues like estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone in chicken meat, which may pose health risks to consumers, there is also strong evidence refuting the use of hormones in poultry production.
Experts, including Dr. Tom Tabler, Jessica Wells, and Dr. Wei Zhai from Mississippi State University Extension Service, assert that no hormones are used in poultry production. They attribute optimal chicken growth to factors such as genetics, high-quality feed, and controlled environments that provide proper temperature, air quality, ventilation, and lighting.
Additionally, it is worth mentioning that hormones exist in two chemical forms: steroids and proteins. Steroids, like birth control pills, are orally active and effective even after passing through the digestive tract. On the other hand, protein hormones, like growth hormones, are broken down in the stomach and lose their effectiveness when ingested, which is why they are typically injected.
While the presence of hormonal residues in chicken meat may be concerning, continuous screening and regulation are in place to ensure consumer safety.
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Steroids are orally active in the body
It is important to clarify that chickens do not receive growth hormones or steroids. Despite this, there is still confusion and concern among the public about hormone levels in food. This concern is understandable, given the intensive livestock production methods used to meet the demands of an increasing human population.
Hormones are naturally occurring chemical messengers found in the bloodstreams of all animals, including humans and chickens. These hormones are constantly being excreted into the environment in their active forms. While natural steroid hormones have always been present in the environment, they are a growing concern for consumers.
Steroids, in the context of medications, typically refer to glucocorticoids, which are hormones that occur naturally in the body but can also be made artificially. When taken orally, these steroid hormones remain effective even after passing through the digestive tract. This is because they are active in the body when taken orally, entering the bloodstream and having an effect on the entire body.
Oral steroids are commonly used to treat flare-ups in chronic inflammatory conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel diseases. They are also used to treat allergic reactions. However, steroids may have stronger side effects when taken orally compared to other methods of administration, such as topical application or injection. These side effects can include oral fungal infections, coughing, hoarseness, and, in rare cases, allergic reactions.
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Frequently asked questions
It is difficult to detect steroid residues in chicken meat. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) can be used to analyse steroids and their metabolites in samples, but this may not be accessible to everyone.
The use of steroids in chicken production is a complex issue. While some studies have shown that steroids can increase the weight of meat to body weight ratio and improve meat quality, they are not necessary. Optimising a bird's environment, feed and genetics can achieve the same results without the use of steroids.
The accumulation of steroid residues in meat can pose a risk to human health. A study found that estradiol, progesterone and testosterone residues in chicken meat in Assiut City, Egypt, indicated a potential risk to human health. Continuous screening of these residues is essential for consumers' safety.
Yes, instead of using steroids, chicken producers can focus on providing optimal conditions for their birds. This includes ensuring the proper temperature, air quality, ventilation, lighting and space to eat and drink. Coupled with high-quality feed, this approach can yield birds that do not require growth hormones.
