• Are hormones used in the raising of chickens?
• Are your chickens raised in coops?
• What is Salmonella and how can I tell if chicken is contaminated by Salmonella?
• How can I be sure chicken is done?
• What color should the chicken skin be?
• Why are chicken bones dark in color? Does darkening around the bones mean the cooked chicken meat is spoiled?
• Is white meat chicken healthier than dark meat? Which chicken parts are white meat and which are dark meat?


Gerber Poultry answers your avian influenza questions:


• Should I be alarmed by the stories in the news about the Asian bird flu?
• Should I be concerned about eating poultry products?
• If Asian bird flu isn't in the U.S., why is everyone so concerned?
• What's being done to protect U.S. flocks?
• How I can be sure the Gerber poultry I buy is healthy?
• Download PDF document with Q&A about Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Answer: Chickens produced or sold in the United States contain no added or artificial hormones. The U.S. government strictly regulates all feed additives and has never permitted any type of hormones to be added to feed or otherwise given to chickens. Federal regulations also prohibit the use of added steroids in poultry.

Answer: No. Our chickens are raised in large, temperature controlled houses, have room to move about freely and have light and fresh air. Clean water and feed also are available at all times.

Answer: Salmonella is a bacterium widely prevalent in the environment. It may be found in water, soil, in the intestinal tract and on the skin of humans and all other animals and birds. Because of its prevalence in nature, salmonella may sometimes be found in raw foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, unpasteurized milk and raw vegetables. Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, an illness that results in flu-like symptoms. Because you cannot see, smell or otherwise detect the presence of Salmonella, it is best to be sure you cook and handle all foods properly to avoid a problem. Salmonella is easily destroyed by heat, you can eliminate any threat to health by cooking foods to recommended temperatures and by following good food handling practices.

Answer: The most accurate way to ensure your chicken is done is to use a meat thermometer. Whole chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 180°F. Insert the tip of the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. Bone-in parts should be cooked to 170°F, and boneless parts should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. Other tests to ensure that the chicken is thoroughly cooked include: the juices should be clear, not pink, when the chicken is pierced with a fork; the meat should be opaque and no longer pink in the center or near the bone when cut with a knife; and the chicken should be “fork tender.”

Answer: The skin color of chicken varies from cream-colored to yellow. The color is simply a result of the type of feed given the chicken and is not a measure of wholesomeness, nutritional value, flavor, tenderness or fat content. Various areas of the country have different color preferences; therefore, growers in a particular area feed chickens a diet to produce a desired color.

Answer: Darkening around bones occurs primarily in young chickens. Since their bones have not calcified completely, pigment from the bone marrow can seep through the porous bones. Freezing can also contribute to this seepage. When the chicken is cooked, the pigment turns dark. It is perfectly safe to eat chicken meat that turns dark during cooking.

Answer: White meat chicken is not healthier than dark meat. Chicken breast, white meat, is generally lower in calories than dark meat, but all chicken has a high nutritional value. It is one of the best sources of low-fat meat protein. It is low in calories, sodium and cholesterol and a good source of iron and other key vitamins and minerals. Chicken breasts and wings are white meat while drumsticks and thighs are dark meat. The wishbone or keel and tenderloins or tenders are part of the breast, therefore are white meat.

Recipes, Nutrition and Statistics
www.eatchicken.com

Industry Related Links
National Chicken Council
U.S. Poultry & Egg Association: www.poultryegg.org


Question: Should I be alarmed by the stories in the news about the Asian bird flu?

Answer: No. The strain of Asian bird flu in the news, highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, has never been found in the U.S. All Gerber products sold in the U.S. come from poultry raised by farm families in the U.S. Our poultry are raised in environmentally controlled houses, protecting them from contact with potential carriers of disease; we maintain strict biosecurity procedures covering all aspects of the bird's life; and we carefully monitor the health of every flock. This is very different from some parts of Asia where chickens are raised in close quarters with humans.

Answer: Absolutely not, because avian influenza is not a food safety issue. No one has been known to be infected by eating poultry meat, even in Asia. Furthermore, proper cooking kills any germs that may be present, including avian influenza. Of course, we always recommend you follow proper handling and cooking methods, including washing your hands, avoiding cross-contamination, cooking thoroughly and refrigerating leftovers promptly

Answer: In rare cases, the current Asian strain has infected humans, but it is not easily transmitted from bird to human; only people who have had close physical contact with sick birds have become ill. While the virus has not yet shown the ability to move readily from person to person, it theoretically could mutate into a form that could be spread by infected people. It is this possibility that has health officials concerned.

Answer: The U.S. has multiple lines of defense to prevent the introduction of Asian bird flu here, including bans on the importation of bird and bird products from affected areas and aggressive surveillance of migratory birds and domestic flocks. U.S. poultry from companies like Gerbers are raised in environmentally controlled houses, which protects them from contact with potential disease carriers. Strict biosecurity procedures for all aspects of live production are designed to prevent the introduction of disease onto a farm. Our producers, flock supervisors and poultry veterinarians monitor the health of every flock. In addition, 100% of Gerber flocks are being tested for key strains of avian influenza before processing. These tests are conducted on the farm using National Poultry Improvement Plan protocols established through state and federal partnerships. Any flock found to have avian influenza in the H5 or H7 types will be promptly and humanely destroyed on the farm and disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner. None of the birds will be sent to the processing plant or otherwise enter the food chain.

Answer: Our producers, flock supervisors and poultry veterinarians monitor the health of every flock. Our monitoring system assures the detection of any disease affecting the birds' health. In addition to our many quality and food safety checks, USDA inspectors ensure the wholesomeness of every Gerber product.

National Chicken Council

United States Department of Agriculture

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Centers for Disease Control

World Health Organization

Go To Avian Influenza Website: http://www.avianinfluenzainfo.com