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What is chlorinated chicken and why is it so bad?
Chlorinated chicken refers to an anti-bacterial treatment thats used to wash chicken by some farms in the US. Its a method thats also currently banned in the EU. The fear is, a free trade deal between America and Britain may end up with chemically-treated produce on UK supermarket shelves.
So what exactly is chlorinated chicken, and why cant the UK stomach it?
What is chlorinated chicken?
The process involves washing chicken in chlorine or other solutions, such as lactic acid, after slaughter. This removes bacteria like salmonella and E. coli, which may cause food poisoning, once that same chicken is sitting roasted on your table.
The arguments against using this method are not that the chemical itself is still present in shop-bought chicken or that it could cause harm to people. Chlorine is often used in the preparation of other food, like pre-washed salads, in the EU and elsewhere.
So whats the problem?
The concerns arise from the fact that this treatment emphasises consumer health and safety standards only after the chicken has been killed. This leaves a certain amount of potential leeway for poor health and hygiene conditions during the chickens lifetime and in the abattoir. Much of this ties in with issues of animal welfare.
Animal welfare legislation in the US is not considered as robust as European laws, and the Humane Association of the US says most hens are kept in the kind of battery cages which have not been legal in the EU since 2012.
The EU banned washing chicken in chlorine in 1997. The farm-to-fork approach, which maintains high hygiene standards throughout the process, is believed to be more effective in keeping harmful bacteria in check.
Why are people angry about chlorinated chicken now?
Boris Johnson promised in his 2019 manifesto not to compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards when striking trade deals with the US, post-Brexit.
But this week, a compromise arrived. The Telegraph revealed a proposal for a dual-tariff system. It would see low-cost imports from the US being allowed into the UK market under the condition they are put on a higher tariff than meat produced to high welfare and hygiene standards as British farmers. This condition is meant to protect UK farmers from being undercut by cheaper products.
To some, news of the proposed deal signifies the UK bowing to US pressure. The National Farmers’ Union has called for assurance from the government that sub-standard produce will not be allowed into the country, full stop. Theres now a petition for that, and it has already been signed by more than 500,000 people.
What about US beef and pork?
You might also have heard concerns about hormones being added to US beef, and US pork containing the drug ractopamine. This drug has been restricted in pig production in China and Russia, as well as the EU.
Again, these were the kind of chemically-treated meat products that government minister Theresa Villiers definitively stated would not be allowed into the UK, back in January. But since it seems that plans have changed, they may find their way to British supermarkets, after all.
Health and safety concerns
Chlorinated chicken might have attracted a lot of hype in recent years, and has been seen as something of a stick to beat Brexiteers with. The underlying issue, however, does raise serious questions about the consumers right to know where their food comes from and how it was produced.
This is a big part of maintaining public health and safety, after all a topic all to close to home during a global pandemic.
