Chicken as food
Chicken is the second most consumed meat worldwide.
Chicken is the most common type of poultry and the second most consumed meat in the world, after pork. Owing to the relative ease and low cost of raising chickens—in comparison to mammals such as cattle or pigs—chicken meat and eggs have become prevalent in numerous cuisines. Chicken can be prepared in a vast range of ways, including baking, grilling, barbecuing, frying, boiling, and roasting, and since the latter half of the 20th century, prepared chicken has become a staple of fast food. Chicken is sometimes cited as being more healthy than red meat, with lower concentrations of cholesterol and saturated fat.
The modern chicken descends from hybrids of the red junglefowl and the grey junglefowl, first raised thousands of years ago in the northern Indian subcontinent. Babylonian carvings from around 600 BC depict chicken as a meat, and it was one of the most common meats in the Middle Ages. In the 1800s United States, chicken was more expensive than other meats and considered a dish for the wealthy. Consumption in the U.S. rose during World War II due to shortages of beef and pork. After the war, a program led by the USDA and others bred the "chicken of tomorrow," creating the Cornish Rock Cross in the late 1940s—a bird with an efficient feed-to-meat ratio, rapid growth, and good meat quality. This higher-yielding chicken spread from the U.S. to Europe and beyond. In Europe, chicken consumption overtook beef and veal in 1996, partly due to concerns over mad cow disease. By 2021, chicken meat was the most produced type of meat globally, representing more than half the increase in total meat production since 2000. Fast-growing breeds like the Cobb 500 and Ross 308 dominate mass production, though some countries are adopting slower-growing breeds or higher welfare standards. The poultry industry varies worldwide, with intensive farming common in developed countries and traditional methods in less-developed areas. Chickens are recognized as sentient animals capable of experiencing pain, prompting ongoing ethical and scientific debate about their treatment in food production.
- field
- Food and agriculture
- known_for
- Most common type of poultry; second most consumed meat worldwide
- global_population_2011
- 19 billion chickens
Quick Facts
- Course
- Starter, main meal, side dish
- Served
- Hot or cold
- Cookbook
- Chicken
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The modern chicken is a descendant of red junglefowl hybrids along with the grey junglefowl first raised thousands of years ago in the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent. In the United States in the 1800s, chicken was more expensive than other meats and was sought by the rich. Chicken consumption in the U.S. increased during World War II due to a shortage of beef and pork. In the post-World War II period, the USDA along with the A&P and others embarked on a program to breed the chicken of tomorrow, leading to the creation of the Cornish Rock Cross in the late 1940s—a chicken with an efficient feed conversion ratio, speedy to rear, and good meat quality. The trends for improved feed conversion ratio and quality have continued, and the adoption of higher-yielding chickens spread from the USA to Europe and beyond.
Reader's Guide
Chicken as food holds significant global importance due to its widespread consumption and economic role. The poultry farming industry takes on a range of forms across different parts of the world, with developed countries typically using intensive farming methods and less-developed areas using more traditional techniques. Chicken meat is sometimes cited as being more healthy than red meat, with lower concentrations of cholesterol and saturated fat. However, the use of feed additives such as roxarsone in factory farming has raised health concerns. The FDA approval for roxarsone and two other arsenic poultry drugs were voluntarily withdrawn by manufacturers in September 2013, and the final remaining arsenic drug nitarsone was banned at the end of 2015. Antibiotic resistance in humans appears to be directly related to the use of antibiotics in poultry production, according to information obtained by the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance. Chickens are recognized as sentient animals capable of experiencing pain and distress, which has led to ongoing scientific and ethical discussions regarding their treatment in food production systems. Some countries are moving towards slower-growing breeds or introducing standards for higher welfare.
Did You Know?
- Chicken is the second most consumed meat in the world, after pork.
- In the United States in the 1800s, chicken was more expensive than other meats and was sought by the rich.
- The FDA approval for the feed additive roxarsone was voluntarily withdrawn by manufacturers in September 2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is chicken as food?
Chicken is the most common type of poultry and the second most consumed meat globally, behind only pork. Its dominance in diets worldwide comes from how simple and inexpensive it is to raise chickens.
Why is chicken so widely eaten around the world?
The low cost and relative ease of raising chickens have made their meat and eggs a staple across a huge number of cuisines. This accessibility is the main reason chicken has climbed to the second-highest position in global meat consumption.
How is chicken typically prepared?
Chicken can be baked, grilled, barbecued, fried, boiled, or roasted, giving it an enormous range of culinary applications. Since the latter half of the 20th century, prepared chicken has also become a defining staple of fast-food menus.
What field does chicken as food fall under?
Chicken belongs to the field of food and agriculture. It is widely recognized as the most common type of poultry and the second most consumed meat in the world, after pork.
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