Excessive brining bad for SA’s chicken biz

THERE are a few myths surrounding the practice of injecting brine into frozen chicken pieces that need to be cleared up, so that consumers are clear on the facts. I refer specifically to “Now for chicken’s battle of the brine” (June 19), in which it is reported that the South African Poultry Association is seeking an interdict to halt the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries from implementing a regulation that will compel the industry to cap the amount of brine in frozen chicken pieces to 15%.

As RCL Foods, which produces and markets the Rainbow, Farmer Brown and Simply Chicken brands, we support the government in this initiative and have consistently campaigned for a cap on brine injection.

We believe that South African levels of brine in frozen portions of chicken are unsupported by science, and that the excessive injection levels by the larger manufacturers have compromised the integrity of local chicken and the industry.

Some media are reporting that frozen chicken portions will become more expensive with the new cap. This is not true. This is a myth being perpetuated by some stakeholders in the industry that are against the new cap.

To clarify, currently a 2kg packet of frozen chicken portions costs consumers R39.99. There are about 10 pieces of chicken in each packet. If the brine percentage is capped at 15%, the amount of brine in each packet will come down from an average of 30% to 15%. The same 10 pieces of chicken will still be in the packet, but the packet will now weigh 1.65kg because there will be less brine, and the new 1.65kg packet will cost the same R39.99 for the same 10 pieces — it is that simple.

You will get more real chicken pieces per kilogram since more than half of the brine is out.

Consumers need to know they’re getting only the brine that is necessary to guarantee succulence — and no more than that.

— Scott Pitman, MD: Consumer Division, RCL Foods