Channel 4 viewers were sickened last night (June 3) after a Dispatches documentary exposed stomach-churning practices in the US chicken industry.
In The Truth About Chlorinated Chicken, presenter Kate Quilton went to America to investigate the country’s poultry production – looking in particular at how chicken there is washed with chlorine, a practice banned in the EU.
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The report featured grim footage shot by an undercover employee in a processing plant that highlighted a number of bad hygiene practices.
At one point, a supervisor was heard discussing “a trend of adulterated product” or, in other words, pieces of glass present in chicken.
The programme also talked about “amputations” in the American poultry industry – staff losing fingers and other body parts due to dangerous working processes.
Viewers flocked to Twitter to express their disgust as the scenes unfolded.
One wrote: “Just watched… wow what an eye opener… put me right off my dinner! I really do hope that when we leave the EU that we don’t do an American trade deal and end up with their chlorinated chicken! If we do I will not be buying it.”
Someone else tweeted: “@C4Dispatches #Dispatches USA you can keep your horrid chicken.”
A third wrote: “#Dispatches watching this about chlorinated chicken makes me feel physically sick! I say thank god for the EU and their legislation.”
Just watched #thetruthaboutchlorinatedchicken wow what an eye opener… put me right off my dinner! I really do hope that when we leave the EU that we don’t do an American trade deal and end up with their chlorinated chicken! If we do I will not be buying it 🤢🤢 #dispatches
— Jade Purewal (@Healthfoodjade) June 3, 2019
@C4Dispatches #Dispatches USA you can keep your horrid chicken. 🤮 #euprotectsconsumers
— Marky 🇬🇧🇫🇮🇪🇺 (@MarkNorse) June 3, 2019
#Dispatches watching this about chlorinated chicken makes me feel physically sick! I say thank god for the EU and their legislation
— Ali Horsfall (@The_alipb) June 3, 2019
Another said: “Just watched #Dispatches’ stomach-churning doc on US chicken production. Filthy factories, no workers rights, no animal welfare standards. No wonder 100s of Americans die each year from salmonella. Zero deaths in UK.”
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“After watching tonight’s #Dispatches programme, who in their right mind would ever buy US chicken? The state of the factory was disgusting and I can’t believe the American people just accept it! I will never eat chicken in the US again!” tweeted a fifth.
“Grossed out by #dispatches expose on US chicken processing. Awful conditions for workers and #chlorinatedchicken. Keep your 🇺🇸 chicken nuggets or step up your standards,” wrote another sickened viewer.
Just watched #Dispatches stomach churning doc on US chicken production. Filthy factories, no workers rights, no animal welfare standards. No wonder 100s of Americans die each yr from salmonella. Zero deaths in UK. Trump can stuff his trade deal.
— Alison theroad (@alisontheroad) June 3, 2019
Grossed out by #dispatches expose on US chicken processing 🤢 awful conditions for workers and #chlorinatedchicken. Keep your 🇺🇸 chicken nuggets or step up your standards.
— Kathryn 💙 (@KathrynJMIrwin) June 3, 2019
Would you eat chlorinated chicken after watching Dispatches? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think.