Claire Thompson
Arsenic is a naturally occurring metallic mineral found in the Earth's crust. While organic forms of arsenic are relatively less toxic than inorganic forms, the presence of arsenic in food is always a concern. In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that frequently consumed foods like rice and chicken contained arsenic. This led to concerns about the levels of arsenic in chicken and its potential impact on human health. While the FDA has set tolerance levels for arsenic in foods and denied claims that chicken meat contains cancer-causing levels of arsenic, consumers are increasingly conscious of the brand of chicken they choose to minimize their exposure to arsenic.
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What You'll Learn
Arsenic in chicken feed
Arsenic is a metallic mineral from the Earth’s crust that is released into the soil and water via fertilizers and pesticides. Organic forms of arsenic are less toxic than inorganic forms. Arsenic was introduced to chicken feed in the 1940s to improve muscle growth, fight disease, and make the meat pinker. While most of the arsenic is excreted, some ends up in the chicken meat.
In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that there was too much arsenic in chicken, although the levels were too low to be deemed an official threat. The FDA sets tolerance levels for arsenic in foods and beverages and has never stated that chicken meat contains cancer-causing arsenic. The FDA limit for arsenic in chicken liver and other edible byproducts is two parts per million, and the limit for muscle meat is one-half part (0.5) per million. Testing of cooked food found arsenic at only one-twenty-fifth of the safe tolerance level in chicken.
In 2014, the FDA called for the removal of Roxarsone, an animal drug that can transform into inorganic arsenic, from chicken feed. This was followed by the withdrawal of all arsenic-containing poultry drugs by 2015. Despite these efforts, concerns about arsenic in chicken persist. Some studies have found higher levels of arsenic in chicken meat, and it has been identified as the primary source of arsenic exposure in children.
To address these concerns, consumers can choose other sources of protein, such as fish, beans, and tofu, or opt for chicken brands that do not use arsenic in their feed. While the presence of arsenic in food is always a concern, it is important to note that the USDA monitors the food supply for arsenic and other chemicals, and all chicken produced in the United States is inspected to ensure compliance with USDA standards.
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Roxarsone and other drugs
Arsenic was introduced to chicken feed in the 1940s to improve muscle growth, fight disease, and make the meat pinker. While most of the arsenic is excreted, some ends up in the chicken meat. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported in 2012 that there was too much arsenic in chicken, although the levels were too low to be deemed an official threat. The FDA sets tolerance levels for arsenic in foods and beverages and has never stated that chicken meat contains cancer-causing arsenic.
Roxarsone is one of four arsenical animal drugs that was approved by the FDA for use in poultry and swine, along with nitarsone, arsanilic acid, and carbarsone. Roxarsone has been used in poultry feed for nearly 60 years to fight parasites and promote growth. However, recent studies have raised concerns over potential human exposure to inorganic arsenic in chicken livers and meat. These studies suggested that roxarsone may be partially transformed into inorganic arsenic inside the chicken body as the drug is metabolized.
In 2013, a market basket study conducted in the United States linked the use of roxarsone and other arsenical feed additives to increased levels of inorganic arsenic in chicken breast meat, although the concentrations were well below danger levels set in federal safety standards. In 2014, the FDA called for the removal of Roxarsone from chicken feed, saying it can transform into inorganic arsenic. The FDA has since withdrawn approval for any organoarsenic animal drugs to be used in the United States, and the manufacturers suspended sales of roxarsone in the U.S. and Canada in June 2011.
While the presence of arsenic in food is always a concern, it's important to note that organic forms are less toxic than inorganic forms. The FDA and USDA monitor the food supply for arsenic and other chemicals, and chicken has consistently had the best record of any meat product tested for residues by the USDA. Consumers can also take steps to reduce their exposure to arsenic by choosing other sources of protein, such as fish, beans, and tofu, or by adding grains like amaranth, buckwheat, millet, and polenta to their diet.
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Arsenic in chicken meat
Arsenic is a metallic mineral from the Earth’s crust that is released into the soil and water via fertilizers and pesticides. Organic forms of arsenic are less toxic than inorganic forms. Arsenic was introduced to chicken feed in the 1940s as a way to improve muscle growth, fight disease, and make the meat pinker. Most of the arsenic is excreted, but some ends up in the chicken meat.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets tolerance levels for arsenic in foods and beverages. The FDA has never stated that chicken meat contains cancer-causing arsenic. 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. The FDA has done testing of cooked food and found arsenic at only one-twenty-fifth of the safe tolerance level in chicken. In 2015, Snopes debunked the false claim that “FDA announced in 2015 that 70% of chickens contain cancer-causing arsenic”.
The FDA withdrew marketing approvals for the arsenic-based feed additive Roxarsone in 2013. The National Chicken Council (NCC) admits to using arsenic, but says that chicken producers use organic arsenic, which is safe for human consumption. The NCC also states that chickens in the United States produced for meat, known as broilers, are not given arsenic as an additive in chicken feed. However, some broiler flocks used to be given feed that contained a product called 3-Nitro, a feed medicine containing the organic arsenical roxarsone that included safe levels of organic arsenic. Feed containing 3-Nitro was removed from the market in June 2011 and is no longer used in raising broilers in the United States.
Multiple studies have shown that Roxarsone is transformed into inorganic and other arsenic species under particular environmental conditions. Elevated total and inorganic arsenic is found in poultry tissues and meat after treatment with arsenicals. Conventionally produced poultry is known to have higher levels of total and inorganic arsenic than organic and antibiotic-free poultry. In chicken feeding experiments, a Roxarsone diet resulted in elevated levels of arsenic compared to a Roxarsone-free diet.
To reduce your exposure to arsenic in chicken, you can choose other sources of protein, including fish, beans, and tofu. However, removing chicken from your diet is not recommended as part of a balanced and varied diet.
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Arsenic in chicken byproducts
Arsenic is a metallic mineral from the Earth’s crust that is released into the soil and water via fertilizers and pesticides. Organic forms are less toxic than inorganic forms. Inorganic arsenic is absorbed more easily by rice than other foods, and it can also make its way into chicken meat through chicken feed.
Chicken feed containing arsenic was introduced in the 1940s to improve muscle growth, fight disease, and make the meat pinker. While most of the arsenic is excreted, some ends up in the chicken meat. In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that there was too much arsenic in chicken, although the levels were too low to be deemed an official threat. The FDA's tolerance level for arsenic in chicken is two parts per million in liver and other edible byproducts and one-half part (0.5) per million in muscle meat.
In 2014, the FDA called for the removal of the animal drug Roxarsone from chicken feed, stating that it can transform into inorganic arsenic. However, removing it from the market has been a gradual process. According to a 2006 report, 70% of the 8.7 million chickens bred for food supply ate feed containing Roxarsone.
While the FDA and USDA have stated that there is no cause for concern regarding arsenic levels in chicken, some studies have found that arsenic levels in chicken are higher than in other meats. Additionally, researchers found that children had more than a hundred times the acceptable daily exposure for arsenic, with chicken being the primary source.
To reduce your exposure to arsenic, you can choose other sources of protein such as fish, beans, and tofu, or opt for chicken alternatives like plant-based chicken.
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Arsenic in chicken feathers
Arsenic is a metallic mineral from the Earth’s crust that is released into the soil and water via fertilizers and pesticides. Organic forms are less toxic than inorganic forms. It is widely distributed in our air, soil, and water. Due to this, it is not surprising that trace levels of arsenic were detected on birds' feathers.
A study by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for a Livable Future examined 12 chicken feather samples and found trace amounts of arsenic. However, the researchers clarified that they did not find anything that posed an immediate health concern, and that the study did not examine chicken meat. They concluded that there was no evidence that such low levels of arsenic harmed either chickens or humans consuming them.
Chicken feathers are often recycled and used as a high-protein source for animal feed or as fertilizer for crops. This raises concerns about the potential transfer of arsenic from feathers into the food chain.
While the presence of arsenic in chicken feathers may be concerning, it is important to note that the levels detected are typically very low and considered benign. The FDA has conducted tests on cooked chicken and found arsenic levels well below the tolerance level. The FDA sets the arsenic limit for chicken liver and other byproducts at two parts per million and 0.5 parts per million for muscle meat.
Furthermore, the use of arsenic-containing drugs in poultry feed has been discontinued in the United States as of 2016. This was done to address concerns about the presence of arsenic in chicken meat, which was primarily a result of arsenic-based drugs being fed to poultry.
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