Researchers advise the public to minimize the consumption of the liver of broiler chickens as it has been found to contain arsenic, ‘Lankadeepa’ reports.
The Sri Jayewardenepura University’s Chemistry Department conducted a study on selected chicken varieties and established that broiler chickens are fed with certain ingredients to eliminate organisms in their bowels that turn into arsenic in their stomachs.
Prof. B.A. Perera of the Department said broiler chickens which are around 14 weeks old get a good appetite with the elimination of the organisms.
Various methods of cooking, with the addition of garlic, tamarind, lemon and spices, failed to get rid of the arsenic in their livers, she said.
Consumption of the broiler chicken liver in the long term can cause cancer and the poisoning of the internal organs, said Prof. Perera.
Stressing that they had chosen a few varieties of chicken only for the research, she said more extensive studies will be carried out in the future.
