June 25, 2007

USDA urged to define "natural" labeling for chickens

The USDA has been urged to exercise more discretion in allowing the use of the word "natural" on US chickens. 

Companies are complaining that there are chicken labelled "100 percent natural", when it has been mechanically injected with a marinade solution for flavour enhancement.

The USDA's definition of "natural" in 1982 extended only to products that are "minimally processed" and cannot contain artificial ingredients, colouring, agents or preservatives

Labels must also describe exactly what the product contains, including flavouring agents. However, nowadays the USDA defines "natural" on a case-by-case basis.

However, some poultry processing companies have argued that the marinades in their poultry are all natural products. They enhanced product caters to a market which wants a natural product to be marinated, they said.

However, state representatives are calling for USDA to change current laws to compel producers to state in their labels exactly what goes into the product, including "solution statements" of what has been injected into the chicken.

This, according to the representatives, is to even the playing field for the "true producers" who produce unadulterated chickens.

An estimated 30 percent of all fresh chicken sold has been "pumped up" through injection with up to 15 percent water, sodium, binding agents and other additives, the lawmakers said.