# Wal Mart Chicken Leg Quarters?



## TXTorres (Mar 31, 2013)

Who buys their chicken leg quarters from Wal Mart?

I have heard bad things about chemicals, etc. being in the chicken leg quarters, but I have bought these for my dogs several times in the past and even eat them myself. It's the cheapest way for me to get some raw meals into my dogs right now. 

I apologize if there has been a thread on this recently.. I thought I had seen a thread about it, but could not find it!


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

As long as the sodium is under 100mg per serving it is fine. Walmart sells a couple different brands of chicken quarters in 10 pound bags. 

Alas I cannot buy such stuff, no groceries in nearby Walmarts.


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## TXTorres (Mar 31, 2013)

Kathyy said:


> As long as the sodium is under 100mg per serving it is fine. Walmart sells a couple different brands of chicken quarters in 10 pound bags.
> 
> Alas I cannot buy such stuff, no groceries in nearby Walmarts.


Good to know. Will check the bag when I go in next time. I just know it's a red bag  Thank you!!


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## Kayla_Nicole (Dec 19, 2012)

Mostly all meat sold by wal-mart is packed full of antibiotics and rinsed in chemicals to kill possible salmonella. Watch the documentary Food Inc or just do a google search online. I would never pay money for that stuff for myself or my dog.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Unless you get the meat right from the source, it's all "rinsed in chemicals", no matter where you buy it. Walmart uses the same suppliers as everybody else (I've seen the same red chicken quarter bags at other grocery stores as well). And unless you buy organic, all chicken was raised with tons of antibiotics. And commercial dog food is made with the throwaways of that same meat! So you're already ahead of the game just feeding first-run stuff, even if you can't afford organic . 

I feed my dogs the chicken quarters from Walmart---usually the only chicken they get. The usual brand in the red bag is not enhanced (your area may have a different brand so check the label). And if you take note of the expiration date and go in the night before, they'll have the chicken quarters marked down nicely. I just wish I lived closer to Walmart so I could get in on the markdowns every time instead of chancing it whenever I go shopping!


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## TXTorres (Mar 31, 2013)

Thanks for your input, guys  

After thinking about it some more, I've decided to go ahead and feed them. At least until I can finally meet up with Texas Tripe when they are doing their rounds in Houston to pick up some better chicken! I understand how crappy grocery store meat can be, but with my income right now, I just can't bring myself to buy my dogs organic meats while I eat the cheaper goods. 

I can't wait until that beautiful day when I can raise some of my own meat (rabbits, chickens, quail, small hoofstock). Then we will all be eating like kings


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## Tuco (Jun 16, 2013)

I have absolutely no basis for these beliefs, Walmart very well could have quality meat but I strongly doubt it

I'm not buying food for me or my dog if I walk into the store and smell tyres.

I generally don't recommend people buying meat for their raw fed dogs from any grocery store and to instead buy as close to the source as possible, most easy for most people is butchers (I find the polish and Portuguese ones have a lot of the quality for a good price) and even better, meat markets


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

Willowy said:


> Unless you get the meat right from the source, it's all "rinsed in chemicals", no matter where you buy it. !


Where do you get this nonsense?


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

Look at the added contents.... A LOT of the bargain bags of leg quarters are solution added.... As much as 20 percent...


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Commercially produced chicken is soaked in a chlorine solution to kill bacteria for one thing.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

JohnnyBandit said:


> Where do you get this nonsense?


Not sure what's nonsense. . .it's pretty well-known that commerical chicken is rinsed/soaked in a chlorine mixture or any of several other approved disinfectants. I got it from someone who works at the Tyson plant, but it's not exactly secret. Whether it's anything to worry about, I don't know. Chlorine is in our water, the veggies we eat are rinsed with chlorine, and people use bleach for household disinfecting. But mostly I was addressing that saying Walmart meat is worse than buying it anywhere else is wrong. Commercial meat all comes from the same sources, the final destination makes no difference. It's all handled the same way.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

JohnnyBandit said:


> Look at the added contents.... A LOT of the bargain bags of leg quarters are solution added.... As much as 20 percent...


I have a bag in the freezer that I looked at right now. It has 75 mg of sodium per 4 oz serving, so obviously no solution added. Like I said, they might use different suppliers in different areas, so you should still check the label, but that's what I have.


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

Kathyy said:


> Commercially produced chicken is soaked in a chlorine solution to kill bacteria for one thing.


This is humorous.....


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

Willowy said:


> Not sure what's nonsense. . .it's pretty well-known that commerical chicken is rinsed/soaked in a chlorine mixture or any of several other approved disinfectants. I got it from someone who works at the Tyson plant, but it's not exactly secret. Whether it's anything to worry about, I don't know. Chlorine is in our water, the veggies we eat are rinsed with chlorine, and people use bleach for household disinfecting. But mostly I was addressing that saying Walmart meat is worse than buying it anywhere else is wrong. Commercial meat all comes from the same sources, the final destination makes no difference. It's all handled the same way.


More humor..... Folks need to quit believing everything you read on the internet..


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

As I said, I didn't hear it on the internet, i heard it from a Tyson employee (I know a lot of people who work there).

This is from the Tyson website: "Our processing operations use multiple technologies to ensure carcasses are clean. We’ve implemented ways to make more effective use of chlorine, as well as alternatives to chlorine."

From here: http://www.tysonfoods.com/Safe-Food/Food-Safety-Topics.aspx


Why do you say that chicken isn't rinsed in disinfectant?


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

Willowy said:


> As I said, I didn't hear it on the internet, i heard it from a Tyson employee (I know a lot of people who work there).
> 
> This is from the Tyson website: "Our processing operations use multiple technologies to ensure carcasses are clean. We’ve implemented ways to make more effective use of chlorine, as well as alternatives to chlorine."
> 
> ...



Well I have worked in the meat industry since 1984.... It is two am.... And I need to sleep.... I will explain tomorrow....


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Also from the Tyson website: "The chemicals in some of the antimicrobial rinses we use to keep carcasses clean during processing are very similar to what is used in some mouthwashes." 

So, yeah, it'll be interesting to hear how chickens aren't "rinsed in chemicals", when the chicken processor says it right there .


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## zhaor (Jul 2, 2009)

@OP, do you have any farmer's markets? That's where I generally buy meats. Pretty much all chicken I've seen in grocery stores are 'enhanced' and I don't shop at walmart anyways.

Maybe what JB is trying to get at is semantics? What some people call preservatives, others can call antioxidants. What some people might call corn oil, others might call omega-6 fatty acids. What some people call chlorine, others might call...not chemicals?


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

Willowy said:


> Also from the Tyson website: "The chemicals in some of the antimicrobial rinses we use to keep carcasses clean during processing are very similar to what is used in some mouthwashes."
> 
> So, yeah, it'll be interesting to hear how chickens aren't "rinsed in chemicals", when the chicken processor says it right there .


 Here is the humor Willowy. Like everyone makes a big deal. Tyson and other companies list the "chlorine bath" process because of transparency regulations. But.... If you look at USDA guidelines on chlorine use. It Morris EPA guidelines on chlorine in potable water. So in reality this "chlorine" bath equates to water that comes right out of the tap on any home that is hooked up to a municipal water system. Something out of nothing. The Only way anyone is going to get away from chlorine is to be on a well and grow and process everything you consume. In most cases even the all natural does not get you away from it.


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## TXTorres (Mar 31, 2013)

zhaor said:


> @OP, do you have any farmer's markets? That's where I generally buy meats. Pretty much all chicken I've seen in grocery stores are 'enhanced' and I don't shop at walmart anyways.
> 
> Maybe what JB is trying to get at is semantics? What some people call preservatives, others can call antioxidants. What some people might call corn oil, others might call omega-6 fatty acids. What some people call chlorine, others might call...not chemicals?


No farmer's markets around me. I live in a small town where local businesses are rarely supported, so we have nothing except chain businesses. There's BOUND to be SOMETHING in Houston, but I am an hour away, so would have to make the trip worthwhile. This is part of my issue with ordering from Texas Tripe. I bought a chest freezer specifically for the dogs when I was in college and feeding raw 2 years ago, then my dad borrowed it to use at our ranch... still haven't gotten it back. If I can get it back, I will be able to buy bulk meat. This was why I was turning to Wal Mart (and when I say Wal Mart, I really mean Wal Mart, Kroger, HEB, all chain groceries around me) in the meantime. 

Would soaking the chicken help at all to draw anything out? As stated, this is just a short term solution. I am even thinking of just holding off raw until I can get it from Texas Tripe. I just hate that they aren't getting any (and their breath REEKS). 

I thought I had made up my mind, but the issue still freaks me out a bit. You know what they say.. go with your gut.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Feed the chicken from the local markets, it is fine. Better than feeding chicken based kibble definitely! Just watch out for too much sodium. 

If you ever do have the option of buying and paying for really good quality chicken go for pastured if you see it. Organic chicken is fed organic grain based diets but chickens are naturally omnivores and should be eating lots of bugs and such and with little or no grain. Either one might not have been fed the antibiotic feed that somehow is okay even though the government says poultry must be antibiotic free.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

JohnnyBandit said:


> Here is the humor Willowy. Like everyone makes a big deal. Tyson and other companies list the "chlorine bath" process because of transparency regulations. But.... If you look at USDA guidelines on chlorine use. It Morris EPA guidelines on chlorine in potable water. So in reality this "chlorine" bath equates to water that comes right out of the tap on any home that is hooked up to a municipal water system. Something out of nothing. The Only way anyone is going to get away from chlorine is to be on a well and grow and process everything you consume. In most cases even the all natural does not get you away from it.


Isn't that what I said (that I'm not sure it's anything to be concerned about)? And most tap water is on the low end of allowable chlorine---I know because the tap water we had when i was a kid was so chlorinated that it faded your clothes and made the bathroom smell like bleach whenever someone took a shower! And that was still well within allowable limits, or so they told us . I would imagine that would be closer to the concentration used in chicken disinfecting, because regular tap water isn't very effective against salmonella.

But there are other chemicals allowed, too (the mouthwash ones). Saying that chicken is rinsed in chemicals is not inaccurate. It's up to individuals how much that bothers them.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Kathyy said:


> even though the government says poultry must be antibiotic free.


Now that's interesting. Do you mean for organic poultry or all poultry? I know that hormones and steroids aren't allowed in poultry, but antibiotics are so common that it's hard to find non-medicated food for home flocks. And I've never seen anything about antibiotics not being allowed for poultry.


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