12 minute read
GROW Chicken Labeling at the Supermarket:
Prepare to Be Surprised
Natural
Under USDA regulations, a “natural” product has no artificial ingredients or added color. Most ready-to-cook chicken can be labeled “natural” if processors choose to do so.
No Hormones Added
This label is meaningless because federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in chicken. Period.
Any cut or brand of chicken can be labeled “raised without hormones.”
However, if the processor chooses to say that on the label, it must also clearly state that no hormones are used in the production of any poultry allowed for consumption in the U.S.
by Mary Hunt
If you’ve ever stood in the supermarket wondering if paying more for chicken that is freerange, antibiotic-free, no hormones added, farmraised, natural and organic is going to make you healthier, wealthier, wise -- or just a better person -- you’re not alone.
Recently, as I was doubting myself on my chicken choices, I decided to get to the bottom of what all of this really means. It’s not what I thought.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a cabinet-level agency that oversees the regulation of food-grade chicken and is responsible for the claims on packaging and labels. And despite all of the hype and fluff, there is only one label -- organic -- that guarantees specific standards and for which you might consider paying more.
Briefly, here is what all of it means -- or doesn’t mean -- according to the USDA.
FREE-RANGE
There is no specific definition for freerange. For sure, it does not mean, “running free to forage for grubs and grain on acres of rolling green pastureland.”
The USDA generally allows this term if chickens have access to the outdoors for at least part of the day, which could mean a matter of a few minutes, whether that chicken chooses to go outdoors or not.
A single open door at one end of a huge chicken warehouse meets this definition of freerange. Even so, “Less than one percent of chickens nationwide are raised free-range,” according to the National Chicken Council.
CAGE-FREE
This means not housed in cages. It does not mean roaming happily in large open areas. Cage-free can mean crammed together in an indoor henhouse and given very little room to breathe and be their naturally born chicken selves.
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ANTIBIOTIC-FREE (OR RAISED WITHOUT ANTIBIOTICS)
This means that the flock was raised without the use of products classified as antibiotics for animal health maintenance, disease prevention or treatment of disease.
But why mention this on the label? All processed chickens in the U.S. must be “antibiotic-free” in the sense that no antibiotic residues are allowed to be present in the meat.
Made In The Usa
Nearly 100 percent chickens and chicken products sold in the U.S. come from chickens hatched, raised and processed in the U.S. An exception is a small number imported from Canada, which has food safety and quality standards equal to the U.S.
Organic
The USDA has a very specific rule to define “organic” production and prohibits the use of the term “organic” on the packaging of any food product not produced in accordance with its rule. Organic chicken means that 100% of the chicken feed was grown without chemical fertilizers, herbicides and other genetically modified organisms for at least three years.
According to USDA, the organic label does not indicate that the product has safety, quality or nutritional attributes that are any higher than conventionally raised chicken. So there.
Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”
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• Orca whales are among the most socially stable species on earth. They are also the most widely dispersed mammals, next to humans.
• You might think that a whale’s massive size is the only edge they’d need when hunting in the open waters, but humpback whales team up to use a “bubble-net” technique to catch their prey. Sometimes, the whales swim in an upward spiral and blow bubbles underwater, creating a circular “net” of bubbles that make the fish feel confined and less likely to escape.
• Humpback whales produce the longest and most varied songs in the animal world.
• Blue whales are the largest animals on earth, growing to a length of 90 feet and more. Their songs can be heard hundreds of miles away. This is primarily because they communicate at depths of around 3,000 feet, using a channel formed by a layer of the ocean where low-frequency sound waves are trapped by temperature, salinity, and pressure and subsequently transported for great distances. This channel is called the “sound fixing and ranging” channel, abbreviated as SOFAR. The call of a blue whale, at 190 decibels, is the loudest of any animal and equals that of a multiengine jet plane roaring at full takeoff power.
• Whale songs were first discovered in the 1950s when the U.S. Navy developed a type of sonar designed to spy on the location of submarines and ships during the Cold War. Not only could they hear subs and ships, but they could also hear the singing of blue and finback whales up to 1,800 miles away! The discovery was kept secret because the government wanted to keep the existence of their sonar under wraps. When the Cold War ended, the tapes were released.
• Two pods of killer whales frequent the Pacific waters off the British Columbia coast. One pod is called the Residents because they live there all summer and fall feeding only on fish. The family units stay together their entire lives. Females can live up to the age of 90, while males live to about 60. These whales communicate with their own dialect, and males will only mate with a female killer whale with a different dialect.
• Those with a different dialect are called the Transients, a pod that passes through their territory periodically. The Transients eat mainly seals. Local harbor seals can distinguish between the dialects of the Resident pod, who eat fish, and the Transient pod, who eat seals. They stay out of the way whenever Transients are around.
• Groups of killer whales have their own dialects that are further influenced by the company they keep. A 2014 study revealed that orcas housed with bottlenose dolphins over a long period of time were able to replicate the dolphins’ language.
• Dolphins have an array of vocalizations such as clicks, whistles and squeals which they use for their well-developed communication and echolocation skills.
• Most humans are right-handed, with a small percentage being left-handed, and the same holds true for bottlenose dolphins. In fact, dolphins are even more strongly right-handed than humans.
• A team led by Florida’s Dolphin Communication Project studied the feeding habits of bottlenose dolphins and found that the animals turned to their left side 99.44 percent of the time, which actually indicated a right-side preference, because the maneuver puts the dolphin’s right side and right eye closer to the floor of the ocean as it hunts.
• The bones in a dolphin’s ear are identical to those in a human’s ear, except that they are several times bigger.
• Experiments with captive dolphins show that they can locate a silver dollar underwater at a distance of almost 250 feet. They can distinguish between a BB and a kernel of corn at 50 feet. They can tell the difference between identical spontaneously learned to perfectly imitate the rise of a scuba diver’s bubbles as he worked in the containment tank.
• Dolphins are marine mammals. They must surface to breathe air and give birth to their young, which are born live. □
by Dana Jackson
Q: I’ve followed David Boreanaz’s career ever since he first played Angel on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Does he have another TV series lined up soon? -- K.K.
A: Talent, looks and charm have helped David Boreanaz lead three successful television series. He was introduced as Angel on “Buffy” back in 1997 and had such a strong fan following that the spinoff “Angel” was created -- and lasted five seasons.
He then landed his biggest hit yet by playing the cocky FBI agent Seeley Booth opposite Emily Deschanel in “Bones,” which ran for 12 seasons on Fox. Hart Hanson, who created “Bones,” has hinted that he’d be open to reviving the show.
Boreanaz’s most recent series, “SEAL Team,” transitioned to Paramount+ after leaving CBS, but its seasons are much shorter now at just 10 episodes. So, if “Bones” does resurface, there’s a good chance that the two leads have room in their schedules to commit to it. ***
Q: Is Taylor Kinney ever returning to “Chicago Fire”? He’s my favorite actor, and I’ve enjoyed watching him since the show began. But I read a rumor that he’s gone for good. -- L.G.
A: It’s not looking too promising that Taylor Kinney will resume playing Lt. Kelly Severide on the long-running NBC hit show “Chicago Fire.” The actor took a leave of absence this past January with no specific return date mentioned. A source told Deadline.com that the decision seemed somewhat last-minute, with writers having to rework scripts to explain his character’s absence.
In April, NBC renewed “Chicago Fire” for another season, its 12th, but announced that there would be budget cuts. Some have speculated that if Kinney returns, it could be well into the upcoming season so that NBC doesn’t have to pay him as much. Apparently, most of the cast will take turns sitting out for a few episodes to free up the budget.
Kinney did issue a statement following the untimely death of actor Treat Williams in June. Williams played Kinney’s father on “Chicago Fire” between 2013-2018. Kinney told People magazine that Williams was like a father figure to everyone on set. “I’ll always relish our conversations and his uncanny ability to light up a room,” he stated. “We all send love; he will be missed.” ***
Q: I saw a commercial for a new movie or TV series called “Haunted Mansion,” which is obviously based on the Disney ride of the same name. But didn’t they already make a movie about this a few years ago? -- D.E.
A: ”Haunted Mansion,” starring Owen Wilson and Rosario Dawson, is a new film that’s loosely based on the popular ride at the Disney theme parks. It’ll probably shock you to learn that the first film adaptation was released 20 years ago. It starred Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Tilly, and had a bit of a longer title -- “The Haunted Mansion.”
The original film was panned by critics, and while it wasn’t exactly a financial flop, it wasn’t as big of a hit as “Pirates of the Caribbean,” another ride-to-motion-picture adaptation.
Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.
1. Insidious: The Red Door (PG-13) Ty Simpkins, Patrick Wilson
1. Split ................................ (PG-13) James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy
2. Rings (PG-13) Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Alex Roe
2. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (PG-13) Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge
3. A Dog’s Purpose (PG) Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid
3. Sound of Freedom (PG13) Jim Caviezel, Mira Sorvino
4. Hidden Figures ....................(PG) Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer
4. Elemental (PG) Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie
5. Spider-Man: Across the SpiderVerse (PG) Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld
5. La La Land .................... (PG-13) Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone
6. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter ...................................... (R) Milla Jovovich, Iain Glen
6. Joy Ride (R) Debbie Fan, Kenneth Liu
7. Sing (PG) animated
7. No Hard Feelings (R) Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Barth Feldman
8. Lion (PG-13) Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman ads
9. The Space Between Us .. (PG-13) Gary Oldman, Asa Butterfield
8. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (PG-13) Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback
9. The Little Mermaid (PG) Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King
10. xXx: Return of Xander Cage .................................... (PG-13)
Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen
10. Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (PG) Jane Fonda, Lana Condor
© 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.
© 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.
Good Recipes from Grilled Chicken Breasts, Three Ways
This simple recipe for grilled chicken breasts on the bone with crispy skin and juicy meat takes on a new dimension when one of our flavorful mixtures is rubbed under the skin -Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil, Garlic-Herb or SageButter.
Choice of Seasoning Mixture (see below)
2 whole bone-in chicken breasts, split (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1. Prepare one of the Seasoning Mixtures (see below).
2. With fingertips, separate skin from meat on each breast half. Rub equal amounts of Seasoning Mixture under skin of each breast. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Place chicken on grill over medium heat, and cook about 25 minutes or until juices run clear when thickest part of breast is pierced with tip of knife, turning over once. Serves 4. ***
Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Seasoning
In small bowl, mix 2 sun-dried tomatoes packed in seasoned olive oil, minced, and 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, finely chopped.
Each serving: About 305 calories, 46g protein, 0g carbohydrate, 12g total fat (3g saturated), 0g fiber, 129mg cholesterol, 405mg sodium. ***
Garlic-Herb Seasoning
In small bowl, mix 2 garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel.
Each serving: About 335 calories, 46g protein, 1g carbohydrate, 15g total fat (4g saturated), 0g fiber, 129mg cholesterol, 400mg sodium. ***
Sage-Butter Seasoning
In small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon margarine or butter, softened, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves.
Each serving: About 330 calories, 46g protein, 0g carbohydrate, 15g total fat (4g saturated), 0g fiber, 129mg cholesterol, 435mg sodium.
Herbed Roasted Potatoes
Potato chunks tossed with parsley and butter cook into tender morsels when foilwrapped.
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, cut in half
1. Heat oven to 450 F. In 3-quart saucepan, melt butter with parsley, lemon peel, salt and pepper over medium-low heat. Remove saucepan from heat; add potatoes and toss well to coat.
2. Place potato mixture in center of 24-by-18-inch sheet of heavy-duty foil. Fold edges over and pinch to seal tightly.
3. Place package in jelly-roll pan and bake until potatoes are tender when pierced (through foil) with knife, about 30 minutes. Makes 6 accompaniment servings.
Each serving: About 126 calories, 2g protein, 20g carbohydrate, 4g total fat (2g saturated), 10mg cholesterol, 241mg sodium.
By John Allen
Brett Koth
Cody’s
Corner
Dog Talk with Uncle Matty
By Matthew Margolis Creators News Service
Your Dog’s Personality
“When Good Dogs Do Bad Things” is the title of a book on dogs that I co-authored with Mordecai Siegal. Chapter three is titled, “Your Dog’s Personality.” That’s right, your dog’s personality is weighty enough to warrant an entire chapter in a book.
When we discuss a dog’s personality, it’s important to note the difference between personality and temperament. Temperament is one’s natural disposition, determined by genes. Personality, as written in chapter three, “encompasses genetically derived behavior along with environmentally influenced behavior, which can, to some degree, be modified.”
Understanding your dog’s personality is infinitely useful. In fact, it’s wise to get to know a dog’s personality before he becomes your dog. Think of it as a chance to choose a relative. And choose carefully. This dog will be your responsibility and a big part of your life for the next 15 years or so.
There are six canine personality types, and any one dog can have up to five of the six types. The only personality types that are exclusive of each other are “nervous” and “sedate.” There’s no such thing as a relaxed, nervous dog.
The six personality types are: hardheaded/ stubborn, laid-back/sedate, excitable/nervous, timid/shy, responsive, and aggressive.
There are five tests that will help you unravel the mystery of your pup’s personality. The tests and their general purpose are listed below. For detailed information on how to safely and effectively administer these tests, please read “I Just Got a Puppy. What Do I Do?” This book takes you through each test, step by step, and is available in your public library, your local bookstore, Amazon or at unclematty.com.
--The Social Attraction Test measures your pup’s reaction to people. As you kneel down and talk to your dog affectionately or employ a highpitched whine, he’ll get excited or bark, back away or approach you playfully, whine back at you, stare you down, and on and on. His reaction will give you
Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 11
