How to know if there's chlorine on your chicken

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August 4, 2023

You may already be privy to the fact that it is standard procedure for chickens to take a chlorine bath when being processed.

97% of chickens processed in USDA facilities are bathed in chlorine - even certified organic farms and their processors do it.

You see, after a chicken is defeathered, it is always and immediately put into an ice bath. This is important. It cools down the chicken immediately and reduces the risk of the chicken spoiling.

However, when you’re processing a lot of chickens, they all take this bath together. So, if there is one chicken that has, let’s say, a high amount of salmonella, it could spread the bacteria to all the chickens in the bath.

This is why the USDA demands that meat processors use an additional layer of sanitation. The most popular and widely used method is adding chlorine to the ice bath. According to the USDA, chlorine bathed chickens are completely safe for consumption.

However, if you’re reading this blog post, you likely want to avoid anything synthetic, especially in your food. And, you’re not alone. The EU has banned chlorine-washed chickens in European countries for concerns over safety and effectiveness.

How can you know if there’s chlorine on or in your chicken? You can’t! It’s undetectable to the human senses for 99.9% of people.

It’s not required to disclose sanitation ingredients like chlorine, soap, etc on packaging. Given the statistics, it’s pretty safe to assume that, if you purchase chicken in a store in the US, it has chlorine on or in it.

The only way to 100% know if there’s chlorine in your chicken is to know your farmer.

Our farmer is meticulous about his all-natural farming and processing practices. That’s why he's always used a processor that does NOT use chlorine to wash meat.

Originally, he found a wonderful processor that uses a more natural alternative to chlorine - Birko’s Chicxide, a blend of lactic and citric acids. I spoke with a very helpful Birko employee. He gave me some additional information not provided on the product’s technical sheet. Chicxide is made in an industrial facility by the process of fermentation, which I think is pretty neat. The lactic acid is produced by fermenting corn, and the citric acid is produced by fermenting a mixture of cassava and corn.

Now, citric and lactic acids are certainly better than chlorine, but it's likely made from GMO corn and soy. Ahem, more synthetic chemicals. And, it's also a lab-produced ingredient, which is kind of the opposite of "natural". So, we searched for something better.

In 2023, we're happy to report that we switched to a processor that uses NOTHING to wash our chicken. How do they do this? It's air chilled. With air chilling, no ice bath is needed. The birds pass through several chambers where cold, purified air is used to cool the meat. And, that's it. No chemicals AND no worry of contamination.

The farmer is happy to be able to take this extra step for your safety, both limiting your exposure to toxins as well as potentially detrimental bacteria such as salmonella.

How is the air chilled process better than water chilled?

The process of washing chickens in a chemical-laden bath of water results in chicken that has absorbed chemicals, added water weight, and less flavor. In addition, any bacterial microbes found on one chicken is now shared with an entire batch of chickens, creating greater health risks for the consumer. Water pockets can form, impacting the accuracy of cut sizes. This leads customers to pay for more than what they're getting in return.

Customers deserve better than that! Here are some benefits of air chilled chicken:

Air chilling allows for healthier and safer chicken by eliminating the risk of shared bacteria.
When a product is air chilled, there is no added water weight, so you are getting exactly what you paid for.
No added chemicals or water are used during the air chilling process, therefore a full and robust flavor is found when our chicken is served.
Have you ever tried to fry or roast a piece of chicken after it's spent hours submerged? It can be a challenge to get it nice and crispy while also being perfectly cooked. This is not the case with air chilled chicken! Thanks to the time they spend in the chiller, our birds slowly lose water rather than absorbing excess. Less water means quicker browning at a perfect temp - every cook's best friend.
Since the birds haven't already absorbed a ton of water, they take seasoning and marinade much better.
Since the surface isn't as wet as water processed, breading adheres better more completely and stays on while sautéing and frying.

Now isn't that nice? Not only are there less chemicals, but it's also a fairer way to sell chicken AND the chicken is nicer to cook with and more delicious. Win win win!

*Originally published on May 3, 2019. Updated on August 4, 2023.

Pastured Meat

Farming Practices

From farm to fork: Understanding the value of sustainable pork

Raising Pork the Old-Fashioned Way: Miller's Bio Farm's Commitment to Quality At Miller's Bio Farm, we're not trying to reinvent the wheel, we're bringing back the farming practices that sustained communities for generations. As an Amish farm, we understand that good stewardship of the land and animals isn't just about business; it's about honoring creation and providing wholesome food for families. When you buy pork from us, you're getting more than just meat. You're getting the result of careful, intentional farming that puts the well-being of our animals, our land, and your family first. Let's be honest: most grocery store pork comes wrapped in pretty words like "natural" and "humanely raised," but these labels often don't mean much. It's easy to put nice words on a package, much harder to actually do the work of raising animals properly. We'd like to show you how we do things differently here at Miller's Bio Farm. What Makes Our Pork Different Good pork starts with good practices. For us, that means healthy soil, happy animals, responsible harvesting, and thoughtful management of everything that happens on our farm. Here's what that looks like in practice: Pasture-Raised the Way Nature Intended Pigs aren't meant to spend their lives standing on concrete in windowless buildings. They're curious, intelligent animals that need fresh air, sunshine, and room to express their natural behaviors, rooting in the dirt, foraging for food, and socializing with other pigs. On our farm, hogs live outdoors on pasture in the woods where they can do exactly that. We move them regularly to fresh ground, which keeps them healthy and gives the land time to rest and regenerate. This practice, sometimes called rotational grazing is farming wisdom that's been passed down for centuries. When pigs root and forage on fresh pasture, they're naturally fertilizing the soil and helping plants grow back stronger. The land becomes more fertile season after season, storing carbon and building topsoil instead of depleting it. No chemical fertilizers needed, just pigs doing what pigs do best. This kind of farming takes more work than confining animals in one place, but it produces better results for everyone involved: healthier pigs, healthier land, and better tasting pork. Raising Animals with Respect Our approach to animal care reflects our values as an Amish farming community. We believe animals deserve to be treated with dignity and respect throughout their lives. Processing with Care When harvest time comes, we work with a small processor who shares our commitment to humane treatment. Our animals are handled calmly and respectfully, with immediate stunning to ensure they feel no distress. This isn't just the right thing to do, it also affects meat quality. Animals that are stressed at slaughter produce tougher, less flavorful meat. Properly handled animals yield tender, delicious pork that you can taste the difference in. Studies also confirm what traditional farmers have long known: animals raised on pasture produce meat with better nutritional profiles, including higher omega-3 fatty acids and more vitamins. Wholesome Feed, No Shortcuts We raise heritage breed pigs, traditional breeds known for their hardiness and flavor. These animals thrive on pasture with supplemental non-GMO grain, and they don't need antibiotics or growth hormones to stay healthy. In industrial pork production, antibiotics are mixed into feed daily to prevent disease in overcrowded conditions. This practice is creating drug-resistant bacteria that threaten public health, a problem we don't contribute to. Our pigs build strong immune systems naturally through good nutrition, clean living conditions, and low-stress environments. It's the way farming worked for centuries before shortcuts became the norm. Caring for God's Creation As stewards of the land, we take seriously our responsibility to leave it better than we found it. That's not just good farming, it's part of our calling. Building Soil, Not Destroying It Industrial agriculture depletes soil through intensive tilling, chemical dependence, and continuous monoculture cropping. This approach might boost short-term production, but it's not sustainable. We farm differently. Our rotational grazing actually improves soil health year after year. As pigs move across pasture, they naturally incorporate organic matter into the ground. Rest periods allow plants to regrow with deeper roots, which prevents erosion and captures carbon from the atmosphere. The result is living, fertile soil teeming with beneficial microorganisms soil that produces nutritious forage without synthetic inputs. Handling Waste Responsibly Large scale pig operations often store waste in enormous lagoons that leak pollutants into water supplies and release harmful gases into the air. These systems create environmental and health problems for surrounding communities. Our approach couldn't be more different. Because our pigs are spread across pasture and woodlands in manageable groups, their manure distributes naturally as valuable fertilizer rather than concentrating into a waste problem. When winter weather requires us to bring pigs into shelter, we bed them deeply with straw or wood shavings. This creates a composting effect that safely breaks down manure without environmental contamination. We also plant diverse pasture species specifically chosen to absorb nutrients and maintain ecological balance. Not all pigs like to go in the open shelter in the winter time and that's perfectly fine with us! The Real Story Behind Your Pork Chop Many people wonder which type of meat is most environmentally friendly. The truth is, it's not so much about whether you're eating pork, beef, or chicken, it's about how that animal was raised. Take beef as an example. You've probably heard that cattle are terrible for the environment. That criticism applies to feedlot operations where thousands of cattle are confined in small spaces and fed grain-heavy diets. But cattle raised properly on well managed pasture actually improve the land and sequester carbon. The animal itself isn't the problem; the farming method is. The same principle applies to pork. Factory farmed pork has serious environmental and ethical problems. Pasture raised pork from a regenerative farm like ours is a completely different product. One challenge specific to pork is that pigs need grain as part of their diet, they can't survive on grass alone like cattle can. This means sustainable pork production requires access to sustainably grown grain, ideally non-GMO corn and soybeans from farmers practicing regenerative agriculture. On our farm, we're committed to sourcing feed from responsible growers who share our values of soil health, biodiversity, and chemical free farming. What You're Really Buying When you purchase pork from Miller's Bio Farm, you're not just buying bacon or pork chops. You're supporting a way of farming that's been proven over generations, one that respects animals, regenerates land, and produces genuinely nutritious food. We're proud to raise pork the right way, even though it's more work. Because at the end of the day, that's what good stewardship looks like. And that's something worth bringing home to your table. Check out our: ✔️Corn & Soy Free ✔️ Vaccine, Drug, GMO-Free ✔️Heritage Breeds ✔️Woodland Raised PORK COLLECTION HERE: https://millersbiofarm.com/sto...

Eggnog's Medieval Magic

Well now, friends, let me tell you about eggnog - it's no yolk, this drink has been around forever! While history scholars are still whisking through different stories, most agree it sprouted from a Medieval drink called posset. Posset was hot milk curdled with wine or beer, served in a two-handled pot when folks caught the sniffles. Yup, that's right, I said sniffles. The warmth would settle your bones, the milk kept your strength up better than a day of plowing, and the alcohol and spices worked like nature's own medicine chest. Posset recipes were as varied as quilting patterns, every homestead had their own way to make it, and from this patchwork of kitchen wisdom grew a whole crop of milk based treasures, including... eggnog itself. Eggnog is a rich, chilled, sweet dairy drink that'll make you smile like you just finished morning milking. It's made with milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks, and spices, simple as that! Most folks only raise a glass during a short spell around Christmas. It was those fancy British folks in the 1700s who turned eggnog into a holiday tradition. They'd add expensive spirits and spices to milk to preserve it through winter (yep, aged eggnog, just like preserving pickles in the cellar). Eventually, eggnog crossed the ocean to the Thirteen Colonies. As times changed and food became easier to come by, common folk adopted it as a cherished holiday drink. Today, food is everywhere you look, but finding the right kind is harder than finding a needle in a haystack. Store-bought eggnog is stacked in every store, but I won't hitch my wagon to it. Store-bought eggnog is cooked up in factories to taste good and stay the same every time. But it's packed with additives, loaded with more sugar than a honey wagon, and has less than 2% egg yolks. Might as well call it milknog! And don't get me started on all that pasteurization business. If you've got the time, eggnog is easier than feeding chickens. Here's what you need: 4 egg yolks (fresh from the henhouse) ⅓ cup maple syrup (the real stuff, tapped honest) 2 cups raw milk (straight from Bessie, if you're blessed) 1 cup raw cream 1 tsp nutmeg (or whatever spices suit your fancy) 3 oz bourbon or rum (if you're of a mind to) You can mix these ingredients raw (like we do on the farm) or you can warm it up. Your barn, your rules. For a fuller eggnog, beat those yolks until they lighten like sunrise. Then fold in the rest. For a frothy eggnog that'll make you grin like a cat in the creamery, beat 4 egg whites until soft peaks form, then stir them into your finished batch. I highly recommend doing this whether you bought it from a farm stand or made it yourself. It's wonderful. So please, enjoy your eggnog this winter season. When you raise your glass, think on what you're celebrating. Toast to home remedies, good health, the wisdom of those who came before us, and honest food that comes from the land.

From Grass To Glow: Tallow Skin Care

Tallow might sound old-school, but this grass-fed goodness is pure skin food. Packed with vitamins A, D, E & K plus CLA, it mimics your skin’s natural fats for maximum absorption. The result? Happy, nourished, glowing skin, without the chemicals

How to know if there's chlorine on your chicken

97% of chickens processed in USDA facilities are bathed in chlorine - even certified organic farms and their processors do it.

How can you know if there’s chlorine on or in your chicken? You can’t! It’s undetectable to the human senses for 99.9% of people.

The only way to 100% know if there’s chlorine in your chicken is to know your farmer.

How is the air chilled process better than water chilled?

Now isn't that nice? Not only are there less chemicals, but it's also a fairer way to sell chicken AND the chicken is nicer to cook with and more delicious. Win win win!

More from the blog

From farm to fork: Understanding the value of sustainable pork

Eggnog's Medieval Magic

From Grass To Glow: Tallow Skin Care

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Miller's Bio Farm, 523 Valley Road, Quarryville, PA 17566