Chicken

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Skin health²

  One study found chicken soup made people's skin more elastic and less pigmented, but scientists say more research is needed.

Study type not stated

• Open question

  Detecting food contamination⁴

  Scientists are still finding better ways to spot harmful bacteria and antibiotic leftovers in chicken meat.

• No harm found

  Metals in poultry meat⁵

  In chicken samples, lead and iron sometimes went above set limits, but the health risk from eating them was low.

• Concern

  Food poisoning risk⁶

  Most chicken livers tested carried Campylobacter, so cook chicken liver thoroughly before eating it.

How it’s made and used

• Poultry muscle defects³

  Some chicken breast meat has defects like woody breast and white striping, and scientists are studying why.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.