Chicken fat
Description
• Edible lipid obtained from chicken adipose tissue (skin, subcutaneous fat, abdominal deposits); traditionally known as schmaltz.
• Pale yellow color; semi-solid/plastic at room temperature (solid fraction dependent); savory, chicken-like flavor.
• Indicative melting point ~28–34 °C; smoke point ~175–205 °C (higher when refined/deodorized).
Caloric value (per 100 g)
• ~880–900 kcal/100 g (almost entirely from lipids).
• Residual moisture/impurities may slightly lower the value.
Key constituents
• Triacylglycerols with SFA/MUFA/PUFA in variable proportions (see “lipid profile”).
• Cholesterol: typically ~80–100 mg/100 g.
• Trace tocopherols, minor phospholipids, light carotenoid pigments.
• Permitted antioxidants may be added (e.g., rosemary extracts, tocopherols) for stability.
Production process
• Collection and trimming of adipose tissue → rendering (wet or dry) to melt fat → clarification/filtration of cracklings → optional refining (degumming, neutralization, deodorization) → addition of allowed antioxidants → barrier packaging under GMP/HACCP.
• Optional fractionation to tailor melting point and SFC (solid fat content).
Sensory and technological properties
• Adds characteristic poultry aroma, succulence, and gloss; improves palatability.
• Plasticity at 20–25 °C enables spreadability and shortening function; intermediate SFC.
• Oxidative stability is moderate (due to PUFA fraction); sensitive to light/oxygen/metals → use chelators/antioxidants and good barriers.
Food uses
• Sautéing/roasting, poultry confit, stocks/sauces, poultry charcuterie, fillings and savory snacks; base flavor in broths and gravy.
• May be labeled as “chicken fat” or “chicken oil” (for the liquid fraction).
Nutrition and health
• Energy-dense; use in moderation.
• Typically less saturated than beef/pork fats: meaningful MUFA and PUFA n-6 shares (see profile).
• Sodium is naturally low; check for any added ingredients.
• Consider religious/ethical suitability (Halal/Kosher/vegetarian) per market.
Lipid profile
• Indicative composition (varies with bird diet and processing):
– SFA (saturated fatty acids) ~28–35%: chiefly palmitic and stearic.
– MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids) ~35–45%: predominantly oleic.
– PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) ~15–25%: mainly linoleic n-6; n-3 very low (traces of ALA; EPA/DHA negligible).
• TFA industrial absent; thermal trans can form if overheated.
• Health note: a higher MUFA/PUFA share relative to SFA is generally favorable/neutral for blood lipids; avoid oxidation during prolonged high-heat cooking.
Quality and specifications (typical topics)
• FFA/acid value (as oleic), peroxide and p-anisidine values (or TOTOX), moisture/impurities (MIU), metals (Fe, Cu), color (Lovibond), melting/slip point, SFC.
• Fatty-acid profile (GC-FAME), cholesterol, declared antioxidants.
• Microbiology: fats are not growth-supportive, but hygiene and low water are essential.
Storage and shelf-life
• Store cool and dark, protected from oxygen/metals; keep containers tightly closed (headspace nitrogen preferred).
• Typical shelf-life 6–12 months at ambient (refined); refrigeration extends life.
• Avoid repeated overheating (accelerates oxidation and off-flavors).
Allergens and safety
• Chicken is not a major EU allergen, though rare poultry-meat allergies exist.
• Manage CCP for foreign matter, metals, water residues, and oxidation; prevent cross-contact with unintended species.
INCI functions in cosmetics
• Uncommon as a specific INCI; may appear generically as poultry fat or animal fat for emollient/occlusive roles. Check regulatory, origin, and ethical requirements.
Troubleshooting
• Strong “chickeny” note: use refined/deodorized grades or apply masking; avoid long re-use in frying.
• Oxidation/rancidity: reduce O₂/light/heat, use antioxidants, and suitable packaging.
• Too soft texture: consider fractionation or blending with more saturated fats to raise melting point.
• Spattering during cooking: residual water → improve drying during rendering/filtration.
Sustainability and supply chain
• By-product of poultry processing—valorizes side streams and reduces waste.
• Rendering effluents have high BOD/COD → dedicated treatment.
• Full animal-origin traceability, bird welfare and feed oversight; recyclable packaging.
Conclusion
Chicken fat provides characteristic flavor, plasticity, and useful functionality in culinary and industrial savory applications. Proper rendering/refining, oxidation control, and logistics management deliver stable performance and a clean sensory profile.
Mini-glossary
• SFA — Saturated fatty acids: excess may raise LDL; present at ~28–35% in chicken fat.
• MUFA — Monounsaturated fatty acids (e.g., oleic): generally favorable/neutral for blood lipids; ~35–45% here.
• PUFA — Polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6/n-3): beneficial when balanced; chicken fat is mainly linoleic n-6 with very low n-3.
• ALA — Alpha-linolenic acid (n-3): precursor of EPA/DHA; human conversion is limited.
• EPA/DHA — Long-chain n-3 fatty acids: cardiometabolic positives; negligible in chicken fat.
• TFA — Trans fatty acids: avoid industrial TFA; minimize thermal trans by not overheating.
• MCT — Medium-chain triglycerides: not characteristic of chicken fat.
• SFC — Solid fat content: solid fraction at a given temperature; guides plasticity/texture.
• FFA — Free fatty acids: hydrolysis indicator; higher values signal quality loss.
• PV/AV/TOTOX — Peroxide value / anisidine value / total oxidation: primary/secondary oxidation indices.
• GMP/HACCP — Good Manufacturing Practice / Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points: hygiene and preventive-safety systems with defined CCP.
• BOD/COD — Biochemical/Chemical oxygen demand: wastewater impact metrics for rendering plants.
• FIFO — First in, first out: inventory rotation that uses older lots first.
References__________________________________________________________________________
English DR, MacInnis RJ, Hodge AM, Hopper JL, Haydon AM, Giles GG. Red meat, chicken, and fish consumption and risk of colorectal cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2004 Sep;13(9):1509-14.
Abstract. Background: Red meat and processed meat consumption have been associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer in some, but not all, relevant cohort studies. Evidence on the relationship between risk of colorectal cancer and poultry and fish consumption is inconsistent. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 37,112 residents of Melbourne, Australia recruited from 1990 to 1994. Diet was measured with a food frequency questionnaire. We categorized the frequency of fresh red meat, processed meat, chicken, and fish consumption into approximate quartiles. Adenocarcinomas of the colon or rectum were ascertained via the Victorian Cancer Registry. Results: We identified 283 colon cancers and 169 rectal cancers in an average of 9 years of follow-up. For rectal cancer, the hazard ratios [95% confidence intervals (95% CI)] in the highest quartile of consumption of fresh red meat and processed meat were 2.3 (1.2-4.2; P for trend = 0.07) and 2.0 (1.1-3.4; P for trend = 0.09), respectively. The corresponding hazard ratios (95% CIs) for colon cancer were 1.1 (0.7-1.6; P for trend = 0.9) and 1.3 (0.9-1.9; P for trend = 0.06). However, for neither type of meat was the heterogeneity between subsites significant. Chicken consumption was weakly negatively associated with colorectal cancer (hazard ratio highest quartile, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.6-1.0; P for trend = 0.03), whereas hazard ratios for fish consumption were close to unity. Conclusion: Consumption of fresh red meat and processed meat seemed to be associated with an increased risk of rectal cancer. Consumption of chicken and fish did not increase risk.
Chong EW, Simpson JA, Robman LD, Hodge AM, Aung KZ, English DR, Giles GG, Guymer RH. Red meat and chicken consumption and its association with age-related macular degeneration. Am J Epidemiol. 2009 Apr 1;169(7):867-76. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwn393.
Abstract. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness among older people, and diet has been postulated to alter risk of AMD. To evaluate associations between red meat and chicken intake and AMD, the authors conducted a cohort study of 6,734 persons aged 58-69 years in 1990-1994 in Melbourne, Australia. Meat intake was estimated from a food frequency questionnaire at baseline. At follow-up (2003-2006), bilateral digital macular photographs were taken and evaluated for AMD (1,680 cases of early AMD, 77 cases of late AMD). Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios, adjusted for age, smoking, and other potential confounders. Higher red meat intake was positively associated with early AMD; the odds ratio for consumption of red meat > or =10 times/week versus <5 times/week was 1.47 (95% confidence interval: 1.21, 1.79; P-trend < 0.001). Similar trends toward increasing prevalence of early AMD were seen with higher intakes of fresh and processed red meat. Conversely, consumption of chicken > or =3.5 times/week versus <1.5 times/week was inversely associated with late AMD (odds ratio = 0.43, 95% confidence interval: 0.20, 0.91; P-trend = 0.007). These results suggest that different meats may differently affect AMD risk and may be a target for lifestyle modification.
Navas-Carretero S, Cuervo M, Abete I, Zulet MA, Martínez JA. Frequent consumption of selenium-enriched chicken meat by adults causes weight loss and maintains their antioxidant status. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2011 Oct;143(1):8-19. doi: 10.1007/s12011-010-8831-x.
Abstract. To assess the effects of a moderately high-protein intake on the body composition, biochemical, and antioxidant status parameters in young adults depending on either selenium- (Se) or non-enriched chicken consumption. The volunteers (n = 24) that completed the 10-week nutritional intervention were distributed in two parallel groups and randomly assigned to follow an isocaloric diet with moderately high content in protein (30% energy), either with the consumption of four 200 g portions/week of Se- or non-enriched chicken breasts. Blood samples were taken at the beginning and at the end of the study and body composition was monitored during the trial. There was a significant reduction in weight, accompanying a decrease on fat mass in both groups, while fat-free mass remained unchanged during the 10 weeks of intervention, without differences between both dietary groups. Selenium blood levels and plasma glutathione peroxidase activity, as well as lipid, glucose, and selected inflammation biomarkers remained stable during the intervention period in both dietary groups. Frequent chicken consumption, within a controlled diet with a moderately high content in protein, produced a slight but statistically significant weight reduction mainly due to the loss of fat mass. An extra Se supplementation (22 μg/day) in the Se-enriched chicken breast did not affect tachyphylactic antioxidant status of the participants neither inflammatory-related markers after weight loss.
Barbosa ACS, Mendes PS, Mattos G, Fuchs RHB, Marques LLM, Beneti SC, Heck SC, Droval AA, Cardoso FAR. Comparative analysis of the use of natural and synthetic antioxidants in chicken meat: an update review. Braz J Biol. 2023 Oct 23;83:e275539. doi: 10.1590/1519-6984.275539.
Abstract. The search for healthy foods has attracted the industry's attention to developing products that use natural ingredients, including natural antioxidants. Antioxidants act as free radicals or oxygen scavengers, inhibiting lipid oxidation and adversely affecting meat products' sensory and nutritional quality. Several synthetic antioxidants have been used in the meat industry; however, studies point to health risks related to their consumption. Such fact drives research into natural antioxidants extracted from grains, oilseeds, spices, fruits, and vegetables, which may have a health-promoting effect. This manuscript evaluates the effectiveness of several natural antioxidants in improving the quality and shelf life of chicken meat products during processing, storage, and distribution. The potential effects of natural antioxidants widely used in chicken products are also discussed. It can be concluded that these natural antioxidants are possible substitutes for synthetic ones. However, their use can affect the product's characteristics.
Connolly G, Campbell WW. Poultry Consumption and Human Cardiometabolic Health-Related Outcomes: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2023 Aug 11;15(16):3550. doi: 10.3390/nu15163550.
Abstract. Poultry meats, in particular chicken, have high rates of consumption globally. Poultry is the most consumed type of meat in the United States (US), with chicken being the most common type of poultry consumed. The amounts of chicken and total poultry consumed in the US have more than tripled over the last six decades. This narrative review describes nutritional profiles of commonly consumed chicken/poultry products, consumption trends, and dietary recommendations in the US. Overviews of the scientific literature pertaining to associations between, and effects of consuming chicken/poultry on, body weight and body composition, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are provided. Limited evidence from randomized controlled trials indicates the consumption of lean unprocessed chicken as a primary dietary protein source has either beneficial or neutral effects on body weight and body composition and risk factors for CVD and T2DM. Apparently, zero randomized controlled feeding trials have specifically assessed the effects of consuming processed chicken/poultry on these health outcomes. Evidence from observational studies is less consistent, likely due to confounding factors such as a lack of a description of and distinctions among types of chicken/poultry products, amounts consumed, and cooking and preservation methods. New experimental and observational research on the impacts of consuming chicken/poultry, especially processed versions, on cardiometabolic health is sorely needed.
Toh DWK, Wong CH, Fam J, Kim JE. Daily consumption of essence of chicken improves cognitive function: a systematically searched meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutr Neurosci. 2021 Mar;24(3):236-247. doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2019.1619984.
Abstract. Essence of chicken (EC) is a dietary supplement with potential benefits on one's cognitive performance. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the effects of consuming EC on cognitive function, applying extensively represented domains. Six databases were systematically searched to yield 1760 articles. These articles were independently screened to obtain 8 eligible articles with a pooled population of 794 subjects which is more than twice the population size considered in the previous meta-analyses. Largely, favorable effects on cognitive function were observed following daily EC intake, specifically in the working memory domain (standardized mean difference: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.46), one of the core components in executive function which showed statistically significant results. Furthermore, the observed results were also robust to sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses. This suggests that when consumed daily, EC may improve the mental processing aspect of cognitive function amongst the healthy population.
Ahmad S, Ahmed I, Haider S, Batool Z, Ahmed SB. Daily consumption of commercial chicken feed and meat lead to alterations in serum cholesterol and steroidal sex hormones in female rats. Pak J Pharm Sci. 2017 Jan;30(1 Suppl):257-261.
Abstract. Poultry consumption is increased worldwide owing to better taste, easy availability and low cost. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of the chicken feed, conventional chicken meat and organic chicken meat on the % growth rate, serum cholesterol, progesterone, testosterone and estrogen levels in female rats. Hundred female Albino Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four groups (n=25). Group I was control rats fed on standard chow, group II treated with commercial chicken feed, group III rats fed with conventional chicken meat and group IV with organic chicken meat for a period of 6 weeks. % Growth rate, serum cholesterol, progesterone, testosterone and estrogen levels were estimated after the treatment. The present study showed significant increase in growth rate, serum cholesterol levels and imbalance in serum steroidal hormone levels. It is therefore, suggested from the present study that the intake of commercial chicken feed and commercial chicken meat may be the potential cause of development of polycystic ovary syndrome in females due to steroid hormonal imbalance.
