Free-range, factory chickens 'taste the same'
Published: March 7, 2008
Source : The Herald Sun Australia
The consumer advocate said the narrow range of fast-maturing breeding stock now used in almost all chicken production makes any differentiation between the meat produced by different methods effectively meaningless.
A panel of four food experts taste-tested eight different roast chickens: two organic, two free-range, one corn-fed and three regular factory-farmed birds.
While there were no significant differences in their scores, all agreed chickens don't have as much taste as they used to.
The chooks, which ranged in price from $3.99 per kg for a regular factory-farmed chicken to $12.50 per kg for organic, were all prepared and cooked without seasoning or stuffing.
CHOICE said the results tie in with international trials, which also indicate consumers can't tell the difference between organic and ordinary chicken breast meat.
CHOICE media spokesperson Christopher Zinn said buying organic or free-range might have other important benefits, such as the birds having a better life, but it doesn't necessarily mean a tastier roast dinner.
"The cook makes much more difference than the way the chicken is raised," he said today.
"Free-range and organic birds are reared with more space and open air, and corn-fed have a high-corn diet, but the differences aren't significant enough to give them more flavour."
Since the 1960s, the time it takes to produce a 2kg chicken has almost halved, from 70 days to about 40.
The exception to this is the organic standard, which specifies organic meat chicken must be grown to maturity over a period of 63 to 70 days.
CHOICE advises the way to finding a chicken with real flavour is to find a smaller producer who uses traditional breeds and lets the chickens live longer.
"Otherwise, buy the largest chicken you can find," said Mr Zinn.
"The bigger it is, the longer its lived and the flavour is likely to be better."
Source
The Herald Sun AustraliaRelated topics
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16 de junio de 2009
I agree, that factory chickens can taste as free-range. Its similar to eggs from factory chickens which can be manipulated to taste as free range when nutracueticals are used.
10 de abril de 2009
Marked difference in taste with organic chicken vs factory chicken may have been distinct if factory chickens were raised as before on high antibiotics. But since the ban on antibiotics, where nutraceuticals - prebiotics and probiotics are now used, I believe factory chickens will similarly have the taste of organic chickens. And, if you want tastier factory chickens still, I believe it can be done.
7 de marzo de 2008
I do believe in the results of this trial.
7 de marzo de 2008
Are you sure?
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