The Hindu : Doubts over quality of poultry meat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 12, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Doubts over quality of poultry meat

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Jan. 11. The increasing urban consumption of broiler chicken and the apparent lack of quality control over the poultry meat being sold at outlets in the city are emerging as a cause for concern for consumers of meat in the city.

Even as there has been speculation about the quality of broiler chicken meat being sold in the market and the possible health hazards, there seems to have been no let up in the consumption of chicken.

Apart from a number of poultry farms in the suburbs, supplying broiler chicken to cold storages and shops in the city, a sizeable portion of the city's requirement of poultry meat is being met by the neighbouring Tamil Nadu, according to sources.

While there is no official estimate on the quantity of chicken meat reaching the market here from across the border, sources at the State Poultry Development Corporation said that more than 50 per cent of the broiler chicken reared at the neighbouring districts in Tamil Nadu were reaching the city.

There have been many reports in recent times that broiler chicken in poultry farms were being fed growth hormones or steroids by farmers for the rapid weight gain of the birds and that human consumption of this meat could pose health hazards.

While samples of poultry meat are routinely taken for examination by local health authorities, there have not been any reports confirming the presence of hormones or steroids.

However, the manner in which broiler chicken reaches consumers leaves a lot to be desired. In many `fresh chicken' shops in the city, the birds are kept in unhygienic conditions and as for the poultry meat coming from Tamil Nadu, one never knows.

``Broiler variety is a scientifically developed breed, which is fed on high protein and energy food. The bird reaches the market in about 48 to 52 days and as such, there is little scope for quality checks,'' says an official at the Poultry Development Corporation.

There have been no market studies on the city's requirement of chicken meat, how far it is being met or just how much quantity of chicken is arriving in the market from Tamil Nadu.

``Poultry prices have come down drastically and hence in urban areas, the consumption of chicken has definitely gone up. Also, there is a general belief that chicken is better for health as it is lean meat. But we have no data about the consumption pattern, or even the quantity of broiler meat reaching the market,'' C. R. Soman, chairperson, Health Action by People, said.

He said that he was quite `sceptical' about the claims that broiler chicks were being fed hormones or steroids in poultry farms.

``We have no evidence to say that consumption of broiler chicken could be a possible health hazard. Hormones/steroids are quite expensive and when seen against the falling prices of chicken, it just doesn't make sense. The consumption of chicken meat has never been so high as to warrant a public health study,'' he said.

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