Mia Patel
In 2017, a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation news show called Marketplace investigated the grilled chicken products served at various fast-food restaurants. They submitted samples from several chains for DNA testing, revealing that Subway's chicken contained only about 50% chicken DNA. The rest of the DNA was attributed to soy, as well as other ingredients. Subway has since denied these claims, stating that their chicken is 100% white meat with seasonings and that the tests were flawed. The company has submitted samples of its chicken to independent labs, which found only trace amounts of soy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of DNA test | February 2017 |
| Organisation that conducted the DNA test | Canadian Broadcasting Corporation news show called Marketplace |
| Number of samples tested | 6 |
| Type of samples tested | Popular chicken sandwiches and wraps |
| Results of the test | Subway's oven-roasted chicken sandwich patty contained about 50% chicken DNA. The chicken strips were found to have just 42.8% chicken DNA. |
| Subway's response to the test results | Subway denied the test results and said that their chicken products had only trace amounts of soy. |
| Number of ingredients in the chicken | Around 50 |
| Average number of ingredients in the chicken samples | 16 |
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What You'll Learn
- DNA tests revealed Subway's chicken sandwiches may only be 50% chicken
- The other 50% was found to be a combination of soy, preservatives, and fillers
- Subway denied the claims, stating their chicken is 100% white meat
- The company submitted samples to independent labs, which found trace amounts of soy
- Food scientists questioned the accuracy of DNA testing for these purposes
DNA tests revealed Subway's chicken sandwiches may only be 50% chicken
In 2017, DNA tests conducted by Canadian media outlet CBC's investigative consumer show Marketplace revealed that Subway's chicken sandwiches may only be 50% chicken. The tests, which were carried out on chicken sandwiches from five popular fast-food restaurants, found that Subway's oven-roasted chicken and the chicken strips in its Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki sandwich contained just 53.6% and 42.8% chicken DNA, respectively. The majority of the remaining DNA was attributed to soy.
Subway disputed the test results, claiming that their chicken is 100% white meat chicken which is marinated, oven-roasted, and grilled. They stated that their chicken strips and oven-roasted chicken contain 1% or less of soy protein, which is used to stabilize the texture and moisture. The company also submitted samples of its chicken to two independent labs, which found that the product had only trace amounts of soy.
Food scientists and DNA experts have weighed in on the debate, noting that while DNA tests can provide a good indicator of the proportion of animal and plant DNA in a product, they do not reveal the exact percentage of chicken in the whole piece. Additionally, they pointed out that the tests cannot determine the percentage of protein/non-DNA content that is non-chicken without understanding the concentrations of DNA in the various components.
The controversy surrounding Subway's chicken highlights the importance of transparency and accuracy in food labelling, especially as consumers are increasingly concerned about the nutritional content and quality of the food they eat. While the exact composition of Subway's chicken may still be uncertain, the incident has sparked a broader conversation about the use of "restructured products" and fillers in the fast-food industry.
Subway has since stated that they will look into the matter with their supplier to ensure that their chicken meets the high standards they set for their menu items and ingredients. This incident serves as a reminder for consumers to be aware of the ingredients and nutritional content of the food they are consuming, even when choosing options that are perceived as healthier, such as chicken sandwiches.
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The other 50% was found to be a combination of soy, preservatives, and fillers
In 2017, a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation news show called Marketplace conducted an investigation into the grilled chicken products served at various fast-food restaurants. DNA tests revealed that Subway's chicken contained only about 50% chicken DNA. The other 50% was found to be a combination of soy, preservatives, and fillers.
Subway's oven-roasted chicken scored 53.6% chicken DNA, while the chicken strips were found to have just 42.8% chicken DNA. These results were obtained by averaging the DNA scores from five new samples of each variety. The majority of the remaining DNA was found to be soy.
Subway responded to the test results, stating that they disagreed with the findings and that their chicken is 100% white meat chicken with seasonings. They also said that their chicken strips and oven-roasted chicken contain 1% or less of soy protein, which is used to stabilize the texture and moisture of the product.
The controversy surrounding Subway's chicken highlights the complexities of food labelling and the challenges of ensuring accurate representation of ingredients. It also raises questions about consumer expectations and the role of independent testing in holding companies accountable for their products.
While the exact composition of Subway's chicken may be unclear, it is important for consumers to have accurate information about the food they are eating. This allows them to make informed choices about their dietary preferences and any potential allergies or health concerns.
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Subway denied the claims, stating their chicken is 100% white meat
In 2017, a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation news show called Marketplace conducted an investigation into the grilled chicken products served at various fast-food restaurants. DNA tests revealed that Subway's chicken contained only about 50% chicken DNA. The rest of the DNA was attributed to soy.
Subway denied the claims, stating that their chicken is 100% white meat. They said that they had submitted samples of their chicken to two independent labs, and both found that the product had only trace amounts of soy. The company also stated that their chicken strips and oven-roasted chicken contain 1% or less of soy protein, which is used to stabilize the texture and moisture. They added that all their chicken items are made from 100% white meat chicken, which is marinated, oven-roasted, and grilled.
Subway's CEO, Suzanne Greco, called the Marketplace test stunningly flawed and said that the allegation that their chicken is only 50% chicken is "100% wrong." She also stated that the company submitted samples of its chicken to two independent laboratories for testing, and that the labs found less than 1% soy protein in the tested samples.
Marketplace stood by its report, and Subway's rebuttal led to mixed reactions on social media, with some customers feeling alarmed and others feeling gleeful schadenfreude.
Food scientists have questioned the data and the accuracy of DNA testing in determining the exact percentage of chicken in a product. While DNA testing can provide an indication of the relative amounts of DNA from various sources, it cannot determine the concentration of DNA in the various components.
Subway has since added a premium, "rotisserie-style" pulled chicken product to its menu, which may indicate an acknowledgment that their previous chicken products were not "chicken-y" enough for consumers' tastes.
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The company submitted samples to independent labs, which found trace amounts of soy
In 2017, a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation news show called Marketplace conducted an investigation into the grilled chicken products served at various fast-food restaurants. They submitted samples from several chains for DNA testing, revealing that Subway's chicken contained only about 50% chicken DNA. The rest of the DNA was attributed to soy, as well as other ingredients.
Subway responded to the claims by stating that they had submitted samples of their chicken to two independent labs, which found that the product "had only trace amounts of soy". The company denied the allegations, calling them "absolutely false" and misleading and requested a full retraction. Subway's CEO, Suzanne Greco, called the test "a tremendous disservice to our customers" and stated that their chicken is 100% white meat with seasonings.
Subway's chicken strips and oven-roasted chicken products are listed on their website as containing "boneless skinless chicken breast with rib meat, water, [and] 2 percent or less [of] soy protein concentrate, modified potato starch, sodium phosphate, potassium chloride, salt, maltodextrin, yeast extract, flavors, natural flavors, dextrose, caramelized sugar, paprika, vinegar solids, paprika extract, [and] chicken broth".
Subway also stated that they use soy protein in their chicken products to help stabilize texture and moisture. While the exact composition of Subway's chicken may be unclear, it is important to note that DNA tests do not provide an exact percentage of chicken content and are not typically used to determine proportions of content. However, they can indicate the presence of other substances, such as soy protein.
Subway's chicken products have come under scrutiny for their ingredients, and the company has previously removed an ingredient called azodicarbonamide from their bread in response to a petition by a health food blogger.
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Food scientists questioned the accuracy of DNA testing for these purposes
In 2017, a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) news show called Marketplace conducted an investigation into the grilled chicken products served at various fast-food restaurants, including Subway. Samples from several chains were submitted for DNA testing, revealing that Subway's chicken contained only about 50% chicken DNA. The rest of the DNA was attributed to soy.
Subway disputed these findings, stating that their chicken products contained only trace amounts of soy and that their chicken is 100% white meat with seasonings. They claimed that the test results were "absolutely false and misleading" and requested a full retraction.
Food scientists weighed in on the controversy, questioning the accuracy of using DNA tests to determine the proportions of content in food products. They pointed out that DNA tests can provide relative amounts of DNA from various sources but are not equipped to determine the exact percentage of chicken in the whole piece without understanding the concentrations of DNA in the various components.
One food scientist, Ben Bohrer from the University of Guelph, explained that fast-food companies often use "restructured products," which are smaller pieces of meat or ground meat bound together with other ingredients to make them last longer, taste better, and add value. While the ingredients used are safe and government-approved, the high number of additional ingredients in Subway's chicken products may have contributed to the low percentage of chicken DNA found in the tests.
In response to the controversy, Subway stated that they would look into the matter with their supplier to ensure that their chicken meets the high standards they set for their menu items and ingredients.
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Frequently asked questions
No, but in 2017, a DNA test by CBC Marketplace found that Subway's chicken may only be 50% chicken, with the rest being mostly soy. Subway denied the claim and said that their chicken is 100% white meat with seasonings.
Subway's CEO Suzanne Greco called the allegation that their chicken is only 50% chicken 100% wrong. The company also stated that they submitted samples of their chicken to two independent labs, which found that the product had only trace amounts of soy.
Soy protein is a common ingredient used to stabilize the texture and moisture of meat products. While some people may be allergic to soy, it is generally considered safe and is even labelled on most Subway products.
Yes, in 2017, CBC Marketplace also tested the chicken at Wendy's and McDonald's. Wendy's grilled chicken sandwich was found to be 88.5% chicken, while McDonald's Grilled Country Chicken was 84.9% chicken.
