ABSTRACT
Introduction According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the term poultry refers to any domesticated bird whether live or dead, and typically includes chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guineas, ratites, and squabs.1 The vast majority of poultry produced and consumed in the United States, however, consists of chickens and turkeys with about 9 billion broilers and chickens, and 271 million turkeys being produced in 2007.2,3,4 Annually, Americans consume an estimated 104 pounds of poultry per capita, making poultry the most consumed animal protein in the United States2-4 Poultry consumption in the United States has consistently increased during the last 40 years, growing over 200% since 1970.3 The high consumption rate of poultry can be attributed to its desirable sensory attributes, versatility, affordability, and nutritional quality as a protein source.
