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Arsenic in Chicken Feed

PLUMP CHICKENS MAY HARM OUR BODIES WHILE DELIGHTING OUR TASTE BUDS.  POULTRY FEED CONTAINING A FORM OF ARSENIC HAS EXPERTS CLUCKING ON THIS ENVIRONMINUTE.

ROXARSONE IS AN ARSENIC COMPOUND THAT’S OFTEN ADDED TO CHICKEN FEED TO HELP BREED BIGGER BIRDS, BUT ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY, THE COMMONLY USED COMPOUND CAN BE RAPIDLY TRANSFORMED INTO A MORE TOXIC FORM OF ARSENIC BY BACTERIA. 

JOHN STOLZ OF DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY SAYS THE BIGGEST RISK IS THE POTENTIAL FOR HARMFUL ARSENIC TO CONTAMINATE GROUNDWATER WHEN THE CHICKEN MANURE IS SPREAD ON FIELDS AS FERTILIZER.

STOLZ "YOU HAVE THE CHICKEN LITTER, YOU HAVE THESE ORGANISMS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE. YOU’VE GOT THE ARSENIC COMPOUND.  ALL YOU HAVE DO IS ESSENTIALLY ADD WATER AND THESE ORGANISMS ARE GOING TO DO THEIR THING."

IN LIGHT OF SUCH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF USING ROXARSONE, MANY POULTRY PRODUCERS HAVE STOPPED FEEDING IT TO THEIR BIRDS.

To read more about this study, please visit the Baltimore Sun. 

To access the study, please click here.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org