US: ‘Poultry raised without hormones’ – a misleading claim

So, which chicken is healthier and safer for consumers — the brand with the no-nonsense label or the premium brand that claims its chickens were “raised without added hormones”?

The answer, according to the American Association Aviana Pathologists, is that it does not make a difference — for the simple reason that chickens don’t receive added hormones, anyway. “Even though some poultry products may state they are ‘raised without added hormones’ on the label, you can have confidence that all products, so labelled or not, are in fact raised without added hormones,” the scientific association stated.

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“The modern poultry industry has never utilised hormones or steroids to raise commercial broilers, turkeys or egg layers,” AAAP added. “In fact, no hormones or steroids are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in poultry, and doing so via the water, feed or injection is specifically prohibited by law.”

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The American Association of Avian Pathologists is an international association whose mission is to promote scientific knowledge to enhance the health, well-being, and productivity of poultry to provide safe and abundant food for the world. For more information, visit aaap.info.