White Striping: Great For Alt Rock, Bad For Chicken

I'm not a fan of animal rights activists. I get that they usually have good intentions, but they're annoying. Once in a while, they even make a good point. This is one of those times.

White striping refers to the white stripe(s) on uncooked chicken breasts, and not the alt-rock band. Due to growing demand for poultry, farmers are fattening up their chickens faster than ever, resulting in more fat and less muscle (protein) on the birds. Icky...Thump!

It's not necessarily a health hazard, but it makes chicken less of a lean protein go-to.

White striping looks like white lines parallel to regular muscle on chicken breasts. It looks nothing like Jack White of the White Stripes.

While not a health risk, white striping impacts meat quality. The chicken won't soak up as much marinade (GASP!). Fortunately, only a small percentage of chicken meat is affected by white striping. Consumers are encouraged to purchase chicken labeled "No Antibiotics Ever" and  - of course - to thoroughly cook chicken meat. It shouldn't take a seven-nation army to figure that out.

H/T: Men's Health