Smarter Living: Shopping Wise

Don't buy poultry or eggs without first studying the labels on the packaging. You should check not only for freshness but to learn where and how the product was raised. Familiarize yourself with the labels you can trust using Label Lookup: Poultry and Eggs and the guidelines below.

Organic

In poultry and egg production, this means:

• Organic feed is given to the animals (food produced without insecticides, pesticides, genetic engineering or sewage sludge, and lacking in animal-derived proteins).

• Animals are raised "under conditions which provide for exercise and freedom of movement."

• No antibiotics are used. Sick animals that need treatment with antibiotics must be taken out of organic production; it is illegal for all poultry to receive added hormones.

• Meat is processed according to strictly defined standards that restrict the use of chemicals. Also, the meat and eggs have not been irradiated.

• There is no genetic modification of animals.

• Safe composting standards for animal waste are maintained.

Meat products that are at least 95 percent organic may be labeled "organic." If entirely organic, the product may be labeled "100% organic." Products with more than 70 percent organic ingredients may be labeled "Made with organic ingredients."

The benefits of buying organic meats and eggs are clear, considering the host of harmful practices and substances not introduced into the environment and into the food system. The restriction on antibiotic use also requires healthier conditions than those found on factory farms. Supplying meat animals with organic feed supports a farm system that enhances soil fertility, increases species diversity, conserves water and produces fewer greenhouse gases.

Note: Available European data indicate that rates of salmonella and campylobacter in organic chicken are still high. Organic meats must be handled just as carefully as nonorganic meats to avoid infection.

Grass-Fed or Pastured

This label indicates that the animals have, in some sense, been raised on pasture. However, there is no consensus on what "grass-fed" means, and no third-party verification, so the consumer must inquire as to exactly how the animals were raised. Practitioners of grass-fed or "pastured" poultry often use rotational grazing systems with movable cages for at least some portion of the bird's life. This is a desirable option, if it can be verified, because while on pasture these birds eat more naturally, consume fewer resources, and live more in tune with their native behaviors and needs. Many suppliers of grass-fed eggs also report that their eggs are higher than conventional eggs in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and have harder shells.

Free-Farmed

"Free-farmed" poultry and eggs are from birds raised with adequate space and comfort and without the use of unnecessary antibiotics, in accordance with American Humane Association standards. The claim is verified by third-party inspectors. (www.americanhumane.org)

"Raised without antibiotics" or "No antibiotics administered" labels may be used by producers with USDA approval, but this claim is not verified by inspections of farms or tests for residues in meats.

Cage-Free

This term implies that birds were not housed in cages. However, this label does not guarantee access to the outdoors and is not verified by any third party.

Free-Range

"Free-range" or "Free-roaming" on a label implies that the animal has been allowed to roam. However, the use of the term "free-range" is defined only for meat production and only means that the animal has had some access to the outdoors each day. The FDA, which regulates eggs, has set no standard for the use of the term in eggs, rendering the phrase even less meaningful for eggs. The label does not guarantee that egg-laying birds live cage-free.

Local

In the United States, refrigerating, transporting and storing food uses eight times as much energy as is provided by the food itself. You can reduce these costs by finding local producers of meat and eggs, at your farmer's market or by visiting farms yourself (use Local Harvest to find local producers of healthier meats and eggs).

Learn More

What to Ponder When Picking Poultry

Label Lookup: Poultry and Eggs

last revised 11/1/2011