Consumers Sue Fast Food Chains for Cancer-Causing Chicken

by Libby Pelham | More from this Blogger

23 Oct 2009 06:13 PM

When I go to a fast food restaurant, I often order the chicken, thinking that is the better, more natural choice over a burger. However, McDonald's, Burger King, and Friendly Ice Cream are being sued by consumers for selling grilled chicken that contains a cancer causing chemical.

The chain restaurants were part of a class action suit filed by Cancer Project in the Hartford, Conn. Superior Court Wednesday. The lawsuit claims that the grilled chicken served by the restaurants contains the compound PhIP. McDonalds has been selling their grilled chicken sandwiches since October 2006. Last month, a similar lawsuit was filed against KFC's new grilled chicken. California has listed PhIP as a carcinogen - a substance that is believed to create cancer in humans - since 1994.

Lawyer Daniel Kinburn of Cancer Project says that the lawsuit is not seeking to stop McDonald's from selling the grilled chicken sandwich, but for the sandwich to be sold with a warning. Cynthia Goody, director of nutrition for McDonald's, insisted that the company has very high food safety standards and that there is no scientific evidence to suggest that small amounts of PhIP can be created through the grilling process.

Reps from Burger King also feel the lawsuit is without merit, saying that PhIP is naturally produced when any type of chicken, meat, or fish is broiled, fried, or grilled. The company has agreed to post warnings of the PhIP in the chicken in California restaurants, but the company will not post the warnings nationally.

The spokesperson for Friendly's, Maura Tobias, said her company either meets or exceeds "all guidelines and regulations for food preparation and safety." She also agreed that any meat that is grilled, even at home, will produce a low level of PhIP.

I've heard for years that grilling is bad for us (probably because it tastes so good!). What do you think about this lawsuit? Should the companies have a warning about PhIP?

(This image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License.)

Learn more about Libby Pelham

Libby Pelham is a work-at-home mom located in Jacksonville, NC. She has a beautiful little boy, Will, born in July of 2004.

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Dale Harcombe (10321) 23 Oct 2009 10:42 PM

Funny, chicken is one thing I almost never buy from take away or restaurants, mainly beacuse I am aware of how easy it is to have things wrong with chicken, especially if not cooked properly.

Libby Pelham (12871) 24 Oct 2009 07:03 AM

Hum, that is true Dale...I know that, but just never thought about it that way...

hambo (41) 30 Oct 2009 03:03 PM

I knew that some foods when subjected to very high cooking temperatures (grilling and frying) can produce cancer causing chemicals, but you dont expect it to in something you buy form a big chain.

Dale makes a good point about the risks of chicken not being properly cooked, you probably have more chance of getting ill from food poisoning than anything else.