Water in chicken - your questions answered
Wednesday 12 December 2001
Find out more about the water in chicken survey.
What was this survey and why was it done?
The Foods Standards Agency and 22 local authorities tested 68 samples of frozen chicken breasts, destined for the catering trade, for levels of added water and hydrolysed protein. This practice can be used to bulk up the weight of the chicken. There were concerns that not all of the added ingredients were being properly declared.
What did the survey reveal?
The survey revealed that 35 of the 68 samples were mislabelled. Nearly half the samples had at least 5% less meat than declared on the label. The worst case was 26% less than the amount declared. Hydrolysed protein was found in 16 samples, but only two were labelled as such. In addition, two of the samples tested positive for pork DNA, indicating that they contained material derived from pork.
What does this mean for the consumer?
Many of the chicken breasts will have a heavier weight as a result of the added water and protein, and will maintain this greater bulk even when cooked. The heavier weight, however, is not chicken meat, but mostly added water.
Where are these chicken products on sale?
The chicken breasts are sold through wholesale and cash-and-carry outlets serving the catering trade. The two samples found to contain pork DNA were not labelled as ‘halal’.
Is this practice illegal?
If the chicken breasts are not accurately labelled, this breaks food labelling law. So when the amount of meat in the breast is incorrectly declared, this is an offence. The Food Standards Agency believes that not listing any ingredients derived from pork is also inaccurate labelling. However, it is not in itself illegal to add water or hydrolysed protein if the added ingredients are properly labelled.
Are there any food safety concerns?
The added water, protein and other ingredients do not have food safety implications.
What are you doing about this practice?
This survey is already achieving results. A number of companies involved have either removed certain products from the market already, or have changed their practices concerning the added ingredients. The Agency is also talking to authorities in the Netherlands and Belgium about the results of the survey, as well as the European Commission. A follow-up survey planned for next year will also show whether the trade has effectively addressed the issues highlighted in this survey.