Nearly all store-brand chicken in U.S. has fatty "white striping" issue, group says

Modern farming methods means more and more supermarket chicken meat has white stripes — actually, pockets of fat — running through it.  In fact, the vast majority, or 99%, of all store-brand chicken sold in major U.S. supermarkets is impacted by muscle fatty deposits called "white striping," according to findings released on Monday by the Humane League.

The report analyzed meat cases at major supermarkets across 29 U.S. states, with white striping disease found in all but 1% of the chicken inventory, the animal welfare group said. Moderate-to-severe white striping was found in 70% of chicken packages that researchers analyzed, and all 16 major grocery chains surveyed had white striping disease present in their store-brand chicken breast packages. 

Although the nonprofit group views its findings as an illustration of chickens being raised with little concern for their welfare, the affliction also can curtail the nutritional value of poultry when consumed by humans. The findings "should raise alarm bells for consumers everywhere," David Coman-Hidy, president of the Humane League, stated in a news release.