ASoverseas the Avian flu virus is affecting some consumers’ attitude to chicken, in Australia the chicken industry is acting to debunk what it sees are many misconceptions about the way chickens are grown and processed in Australia.

The Australian Chicken Meat Federation (ACMF) which represents chicken meat processor in the $8bn market including the major players Inghams, Bartter/Steggles and Baiada, is launching a consumer hotline 1300 4 Chooks that it hopes will help to break down wide-spread myths about chicken such as the use of hormones, the presence of anti-biotics and the raising of chickens for meat in cages.

ACMF executive director Dr Andreas Dubs said that despite the growth in and popularity of chicken meat in Australia some “incredible misconceptions” about the way chickens are raised persist by consumers and also in foodservice.

“One area is hormones,” Dubs said. “Now hormones haven’t been used in chicken meat production anywhere in the world for 40 years but people still believe this idea. I find it amazing sometimes.

“This is a way for us to tell our side of the story to address the peristent speculation about this and other questions by providing answers in a convenient way.

“ It’s time that answers to common questions about selective breeding, shed farming, food safety, nutrition, as well as chicken meat handling, and cooking are made readily available.”