Have you ever wondered about that paper inside the chicken package? It looks strange, but it has a job, and it’s helping keep your kitchen clean!
What is the Paper Inside the Chicken Package?
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If you’ve ever bought chicken (or any other meat) at the grocery store, you’ve seen that paper in the bottom of the package. Sometimes it looks like paper, sometimes it looks like a sponge. It always seems just sort of… gross. If you’re anything like me, you gingerly pick it up by a corner and toss it in the trash, wondering why it’s there in the first place. So I did a little digging, and I’ve got the answer for you!
What is it?
That stuff in the bottom of your package of chicken, that sort of looks like paper and sort of looks like a sponge? It’s an absorbent pad. So it’s more or less a sponge. Some people call them “meat diapers,” but that doesn’t help it feel any less yucky, does it? We’ll stick with calling it an absorbent pad. In the United States, all the materials that are used in that pad have to be approved by the Food & Drug Administration before it touches your food.
Why is it there?
Well, as you might guess from the name “absorbent pad,” that funny looking paper is there to absorb liquids. You can find these pads in any packaged, cut meat (chicken parts, steaks, ribs, roasts, ground meats, etc.).
Meat is made up of tons of cells. The cells mainly contain water. There is also water held in between the cells. As meat is handled (cut, packaged, moved, frozen, and thawed), some of that water leaks out. That is why that absorbent pad is included in the meat packaging – it keeps the “meat water” from making a mess everywhere.
And, it’s not really called “meat water.” But you probably already knew that. The real name for that liquid is “purge.” (Frankly, that’s not much better than “meat water” or “meat diapers.” Scientists just aren’t very good at giving things names.)
In addition to water, the purge also contains myoglobin. Myoglobin is a protein inside muscle. Myoglobin is similar to hemoglobin in your blood, but it is a little different. Both myoglobin and hemoglobin hold onto oxygen, and both are red. That is why the purge liquid usually looks pink or red, or even look like blood – because it has myoglobin in it. You can find out some more about “purge” in this article from Mom at the Meat Counter.
You probably already know that you should store raw meats on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator. We say that this is to reduce the risk of cross-contamination – and this is where this strange absorbent pad is very helpful. If there is bacteria on your meat, it will also be in the purge liquid. If the liquid leaks out of the packaging, it can carry bacteria with it. If the liquid stays inside the absorbent pad, the bacteria will stay there as well.
What if I accidentally cook the absorbent pad?
It happens. One year, I roasted our Thanksgiving turkey with a bag of giblets inside the neck cavity. Obviously, it is not recommended to cook the packaging with your food. But… As long as the absorbent pad or other packaging is not damaged or broken during cooking, the food is safe to eat. If there is melted plastic with your food, or if the absorbent pad has broken, then you should discard the packaging and (unfortunately) your dinner, too.
Let me show you the absorbent pad in a package of chicken I just bought in this video:
Don’t worry about that funny looking paper in the bottom of the chicken package. It is there to keep the packaging – and your kitchen – a little cleaner.
What other questions do you have about food packaging?
Enjoy?
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Thanks for researching and sharing your findings. I also have wondered why that gross piece of paper is there!
I just purchased frozen chicken leg quarters that were packaged with an absorbent yellow plastic pad as described above. One of the pads appeared to have come apart during all the processing and there were little bits throughout the package. We rinsed off the frozen chicken and re-packaged it before storing in the freezer. In the rinse water, the little packaging bits swelled and became a jelly-like substance. What was that substance?
Jean, it is similar to the filling inside disposable diapers. The packaging is very absorbent, so it can hold any liquid that might seep out of the chicken. It is safe to be in contact with food, but shouldn’t be eaten. You did the right thing by rinsing off the chicken before you re-packaged it.
I previously defrosted some chicken and the pad was stuck to the chicken and parts of it tore while being removed. Would it be safe to eat the chicken if I rinsed the meat off before cooking?
Yes, the chicken is safe to eat. For food safety reasons, it is typically recommended to NOT rinse chicken before cooking it (http://agricultured.org/dont-wash-chicken/), but in this case I would recommend gently rinsing the meat under cool water to get any of the paper residue off. Be careful to avoid splatter, and clean the sink well when you are done.
I just made chic soup and forgot to defrost the chicken. So I put the frozen thighs in and didn’t notice the pad went in the crockpot. The pad broke apart and plastic was in one piece. There are some tiny shredded padding in soup. Is that a problem? I removed big chunk of padding. Thank you
Oh, how frustrating! It’s a tough call… to be on the safe side, I would throw away the soup. If you think you can get all the plastic out, use your judgement.
Is it okay if dogs / pups get into it…..
Im a bit worried as my dog has got it from the bin and eaten it before i could take it out…
It’s not the best if dogs eat the paper…. It is definitely worth a call to your veterinarian. The filling inside the paper can continue to expand as it absorbs water from the dog’s stomach and intestines. It can make him quite sick.
Sometimes those pads weigh as much as one of the chicken breasts whose purge it is absorbing. Makes me feel like pre-packaged chicken is a rip off. If possible buy from the butcher area instead.
I love buying fresh from the butcher when I can. The weight on the package should be the weight without the absorbent pad.
I accidentally left the absorbable packing in the meat I was boiling for cabbage and I didnt see it until I added the meat to the cabbage. Do I have to throw out the food?
I hate when that happens! I get a bunch of questions about it, you are not alone!
If the packing has broken or has holes in it, you should throw out the food. If the packing is intact (no rips, holes, or tears) the food is safe to eat. Some people might notice a slightly different taste from the packing material. If it makes you uncomfortable to think about eating the food, toss it.
I cooked the packaging (not knowing it was there) along with the ground turkey. I ate the soup and not realizing until the bowl was almost done. Is the stuff in the packaging toxic and dangerous for someone with kidney failure?
I cannot give any medical advice, you need to call your doctor. In general, as long as the absorbent pad was not broken, it is not dangerous. But you should call your doctor to make sure.
Are all of the pieces in the absorbent pad recyclable?
I slow cooked a whole chicken and forgot the pad was stuck to it . Is the chicken safe to eat still if the pad did not brake
I mildly wondered what that repulsive looking thing was doing there, since there always seemed to be more chicken juice than it could absorb. Thanks for clarifying that!
Glad I could help!
If the pad did not break, yes the chicken is safe to eat.
I don’t think the pad is recyclable. It has been in contact with raw chicken, so potentially can hold bacteria. It should be thrown away in the trash.
The sponge pad is pre-loaded with purge to increase the weight of the chicken. It’s a sly way to overcharge you for what you’re getting.
I boiled some chicken not realizing that the pad was in it. It did break and I was pretty sure I got it all out. I served chicken and noodles with the chicken and before I was finished with the meal, I had to run to the bathroom with diarrhea and stomach cramps. The other two people haven’t shown any symptoms yet. What will eating
it do to you?
Hi, Judy. I’m not an MD, so you do really need to call your family doctor to ask this question.