The Autopsy of Chicken Nuggets Reads Chicken Little

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. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.