Cancer Risks of Commercial Chicken Farming & Their Feed

In order to control intestinal parasites, stimulate growth, improve the color of chicken meat and reduce their stress on the commercial farms, producers of commercial chickens tend to feed their chickens with additives that have adverse effects on human health. These feed additives contain the antibiotic arsenic compound known as roxarsone, which is used to make the chickens healthier in terms of bigger breasts and pinker skin. Roxarsone is believed to cause diseases such as cancer in humans. This is according to research studies published in 2008 in "Environmental Health Perspectives," an online journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and conducted by Dr. Partha Basu, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Duquesne University.

Feed Additives

• Since the 1960s, commercial chicken farmers have been using these feed additives to produce the oversized birds, and it has become a common practice throughout this commercial industry. The antibiotic found in chicken feed is used to protect the chickens from illnesses and infections, but it also induces blood vessel growth, which makes the meat appear more succulent. The problem with this is that it can produce abnormal human cell growth as well. This growth leads to the development of cancer cells, according to research done by Dr. Basu et al.

Farming Conditions

• The chickens are raised in crowded and unsanitary farming conditions, which leads them to contract the very illnesses and infections that chicken producers are using these harmful antibiotics to guard against. Unfortunately, these same antibiotics cause abnormal growth results in the chickens and in some cases can cause bacteria mutations and drug resistance in them as well. There is concern that there could be similar effects on humans who consume these chickens for food.

Angiogenesis

• The compounds found in the antibiotics used in chicken feed can cause health problems like cancer in humans, according to Dr. Basu's research. When an increase in the formation of additional blood vessels occurs, producing their pink pigmentation, it can do the same in humans also by overproducing additional cells. This growth process is called angiogenesis and is found in many cancers and other diseases. Research done by the USDA has also found linkage between the arsenic compound found in chicken and an effect on human cells.

Chicken Waste

• Besides being fed these harmful additives, chickens are also used in the feed for other farm animals such as turkeys and pigs as well. Chicken waste, which is normally used for farm field fertilizers and in commercial fertilizers, may affect water supplies in the ground and on the surface. Scientists are concerned that being constantly exposed to these harmful additives found in commercial chicken feed can potentially lead to cancer for consumers as well as for the commercial chicken farmers.

Commerial Chicken Farming

• Those who work in the commercial chicken farming industry are at risk of developing cancer due to their inhalation of the dust from the chicken feed and waste containing these additives, according to Dr. Basu's research. The negative effects of consumption or contact with chicken and their feed are not conclusive, as there are no reported illnesses to base any solid results upon. All reports regarding this is based upon research studies and laboratory testing. Roxarsone is approved for use in chickens by the FDA. Despite nonconclusive evidence of its directs effects on humans, caution is still advised with regard to the consumption and handling of commercial chickens, according to Dr. Basu.