Woolworths customer irked by 'toxic looking' find in roast chicken
The supermarket giant told Yahoo they are 'investigating the matter further'.
A Woolworths customer says his dinner was recently ruined after he cut into a whole chicken, only to find it streaked with green-coloured meat.
Glen was left puzzled after all of his hard work in the kitchen baking the bird were dashed. Searching for answers, he turned to social media on Sunday to seek advice on whether the "green toxic looking bile colour" was safe to eat.
Glen also pondered what could have caused the issue in the first place, and included a picture of the product's label "in case they do a recall". It is not the first time an Aussie has spotted the strange discolouration in their chicken, however experts told Yahoo News Australia the unsettling discovery is nothing to be afraid of.
What is causing the chicken meat to turn green?
The unusual green colour in commercially produced poultry is usually caused by a condition called Green Muscle Disease or Deep Pectoral Myopathy (DPM), Edward McCartney of Food Safety Plus said.
"Commercially raised chickens grow very quickly, which can result in insufficient blood supply to some muscles and lead to the death of some tissues," he told Yahoo.
Broiler chickens are left relatively inactive during the growing stages, and without sufficient exercise of the pectoral muscles, circulatory supply is not increased, leading to degeneration and cell death.
"It is usually only detected once the chicken is cut up," Mr McCartney continued, explaining why the Woolworths customer was oblivious to the colour until he intended to eat his prepared meal. "The affected meat is not associated with any infection and has no safety concern other than appearing aesthetically unacceptable."
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In this instance, Woolworths says the green coloured flesh was probably caused by ingredients within the chicken.
"We are investigating the matter further to identify the potential cause of this, however, we note the chicken has a green herb based stuffing," a Woolworths spokesperson told Yahoo.
There have been similar sightings over the last few years, with Coles customers in Brisbane and Melbourne also seeing green discolouration in their chicken.
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