The autopsy of chicken nuggets reads "chicken Little"

Abstract

Purpose To determine the contents of chicken nuggets from 2 national food chains. Background Chicken nuggets have become a major component of the American diet. We sought to determine the current composition of this highly processed food. Methods Randomly selected nuggets from 2 different national fast food chains were fixed in formalin, sectioned and stained for microscopic analysis. Results Striated muscle (chicken meat) was not the predominate component in either nugget. Fat was present in equal or greater quantities along with epithelium, bone, nerve, and connective tissue. Conclusion Chicken nuggets are mostly fat, and their name is a misnomer. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.