Chickens coming home to roost?

"It will undoubtedly ruffle a few feathers among campaigning celebrity 
chefs. But according to a new scientific study, organically reared
chickens 
are not as flavoursome as intensively farmed birds. The findings fly in
the 
face of claims by campaigners who argue that consumers should opt for 
chickens which are allowed to roam outdoors. They say this environment
makes 
for a naturally tastier option on the dinner table and justifies the more 
expensive price tag - up to three times as much as a battery farmed bird. 
But according to a study published in the journal British Poultry Science,
a 
survey found that the cheaper birds had a better flavour and texture.

The research was carried out at Bristol University and involved a panel of

ten tasters blind tasting samples from 120 chickens which had been reared
in 
various ways. Dr Paul Warriss, who led the study at the university's
school 
of veterinary science, said: 'In general, higher ratings were given for 
texture, juiciness, flavour and overall preference for meat from the birds

reared in the standard system.' He added: 'The common perception is that 
organic chickens will be much tastier, but this was not the case. 'This
may 
be to do with the fact that intensively farmed birds are eaten at a much 
younger age, so they will be less tough than older birds.' "

Full article at 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1032513/Organic-chickens-flavoursome-intensively-farmed-birds-researchers-say.html

or http://tinyurl.com/6cbx8t