Phosphate Additives in Chicken

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The phosphorus preservatives injected into poultry may not just be an arterial toxin. They also appear to dramatically increase the growth of food poisoning Campylobacter bacteria.

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Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

Most future medical professionals surveyed were “insufficiently aware”—in fact, two-thirds had no clue—of the risks related to prolonged high [dietary] phosphate intake.” And, even if they knew it was a problem, they don’t know which foods have had it added. 99% knew sugar was added to soda, but only 7% knew that phosphates were added. I bet even fewer would know they inject it into most packages of meat.

Though this practice remains banned in Europe, thanks to a 1982 ruling, “11 different phosphate salts” are allowed to be injected into meat and poultry in the United States—despite the fact that [phosphate] is considered an arterial toxin, causing our arteries to stiffen up within just two hours of consumption—making modern poultry not only more dangerous from a heart disease standpoint, but may also be making poultry more dangerous from a food safety standpoint.

What are the effects of phosphate additives on the survival of our #1 cause of bacterial food poisoning—Campylobacter—in chicken exudates? “Chicken exudate” is the same as poultry purge, the chicken “juice.” It’s “the fluid that seeps out from processed poultry carcasses and is often found to be contaminated with considerable numbers of Campylobacter bacteria. It is comprised of water, blood, fats, and other materials added to the poultry during processing.”

If you don’t inject chicken with phosphates, the exudates seeping into the package may grow about 100 Campylobacter bacteria (this is a log scale). You add some phosphate, and you’re up to a hundred million bacteria—a million times more.

The addition of phosphates to chicken has the potential to increase the survival of Campylobacter by 100-fold, or more. “The infectious dose for [Campylobacter] has been shown to be as little as 500 organisms.” How much might there be in chicken? 100,000 “can be easily recovered from washes of whole chicken carcasses.”

So, what does a million times more food poisoning bacteria mean for the risk to consumers? Well, even just a 100-fold increase in these fecal matter bacteria can mean a 30-fold difference in the number of human outbreaks of Campylobacter—a food-borne disease that can leave people paralyzed. But, hey, if the poultry industry doesn’t add phosphates, how are they going “to enhance the moisture absorbance, color, and flavor, and reduce product shrinkage”?

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

Images thanks to Gran via Wikimedia

 

Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

Most future medical professionals surveyed were “insufficiently aware”—in fact, two-thirds had no clue—of the risks related to prolonged high [dietary] phosphate intake.” And, even if they knew it was a problem, they don’t know which foods have had it added. 99% knew sugar was added to soda, but only 7% knew that phosphates were added. I bet even fewer would know they inject it into most packages of meat.

Though this practice remains banned in Europe, thanks to a 1982 ruling, “11 different phosphate salts” are allowed to be injected into meat and poultry in the United States—despite the fact that [phosphate] is considered an arterial toxin, causing our arteries to stiffen up within just two hours of consumption—making modern poultry not only more dangerous from a heart disease standpoint, but may also be making poultry more dangerous from a food safety standpoint.

What are the effects of phosphate additives on the survival of our #1 cause of bacterial food poisoning—Campylobacter—in chicken exudates? “Chicken exudate” is the same as poultry purge, the chicken “juice.” It’s “the fluid that seeps out from processed poultry carcasses and is often found to be contaminated with considerable numbers of Campylobacter bacteria. It is comprised of water, blood, fats, and other materials added to the poultry during processing.”

If you don’t inject chicken with phosphates, the exudates seeping into the package may grow about 100 Campylobacter bacteria (this is a log scale). You add some phosphate, and you’re up to a hundred million bacteria—a million times more.

The addition of phosphates to chicken has the potential to increase the survival of Campylobacter by 100-fold, or more. “The infectious dose for [Campylobacter] has been shown to be as little as 500 organisms.” How much might there be in chicken? 100,000 “can be easily recovered from washes of whole chicken carcasses.”

So, what does a million times more food poisoning bacteria mean for the risk to consumers? Well, even just a 100-fold increase in these fecal matter bacteria can mean a 30-fold difference in the number of human outbreaks of Campylobacter—a food-borne disease that can leave people paralyzed. But, hey, if the poultry industry doesn’t add phosphates, how are they going “to enhance the moisture absorbance, color, and flavor, and reduce product shrinkage”?

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

Images thanks to Gran via Wikimedia

 

Doctor's Note

Why does the meat industry inject phosphate additives? See my previous video, Phosphate Additives in Meat Purge & Cola.

Other concerning additives used by the meat industry include asthma-type drugs (see Ractopamine in Pork), bacteria-eating viruses (see Viral Meat Spray), larvae (see Maggot Meat Spray), nitrosamines (see Prevention Is Better Than Cured Meat), and antibiotics (see Drug Residues in Meat).

What does Campylobacter do? See Poultry & Paralysis. How is it legal to sell meat contaminated with food-poisoning bacteria? See Unsafe at Any Feed and Salmonella in Chicken & Turkey: Deadly but Not Illegal.

Since phosphate additives don’t have to be listed on the nutrition label, how do you avoid them? I’m glad you asked! All in my next video, How to Avoid Phosphate Additives.

For further context, check out my associated blog post: Phosphate Additives in Chicken Banned Elsewhere.

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