
"Your favorite chicken sandwich or dippable nuggets may not actually be chicken, or at least not 100%. The majority of fast food chains add ingredients to raw poultry, whether to retain moisture, add flavor, or extend the product by adding volume. Water- or oil-based solutions with multiple ingredients, ranging from seasonings to fillers, are injected into or tumbled with raw chicken. This happens before the chicken is even marinated, seasoned, battered, and breaded by the fast food restaurant."
"Federal regulations allow chicken to contain a percentage of solution and be considered 100% chicken. Because these solutions can make up to 49% of raw chicken's total weight, ingredients are required to be listed. The solution must meet certain criteria, though, to maintain full chicken status. When the solution features extenders like soy, whey, or canola protein, it's no longer considered 100% chicken."
Most fast-food chicken products receive added water- or oil-based solutions, seasonings, and fillers injected or tumbled into raw poultry to retain moisture, add flavor, or increase volume. Federal regulations permit poultry to contain solutions and still be labeled as 100% chicken if the solution meets criteria, and solutions can account for up to 49% of raw chicken weight with ingredients listed. If solutions include extenders such as soy, whey, or canola protein, the product no longer qualifies as 100% chicken. Whole-muscle chicken is defined as real chicken and must not be mechanically separated or combined with non-chicken proteins. Some chains blend chicken with potato, flour, oats, or corn and must label those products as patties. McDonald's McChicken Patty contains fillers along with chicken meat.
Read at Tasting Table
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]