Foie gras potato chips may ruffle feathers

Japan has a huge range and variety of potato chips, something that we can generally all approve of — after all, who doesn’t love a novelty chip?

However, sometimes they get it wrong. In the past, we’ve experimented with breakfast chips, sushi chips, and squid viscera chips, to name just a few, but we probably won’t be trying this flavour: beef and Foie Gras.

The last time a Japanese company tried to casually bring out foie gras like it isn’t the product of intense animal cruelty was in 2014 when convenience store chain FamilyMart announced its new foie gras bento. After some inevitable backlash, the bento was cancelled.

However, foie gras flavoured potato chips are not even new in Japan. Chip maker Calbee brought out a “Beef and foie gras” chip last year, too.

For those not in the know, foie gras is the fatty liver of a duck that has been force-fed corn in a process called gavage which has been around since 2500 BC. Studies have shown that the force-feeding process causes avoidant, fearful behaviour in ducks, and can also cause esophagal damage and infections to the birds. Animal rights groups regularly condemn the process as unnecessary and cruel.

We’re not sure how much validity there is behind the chip company’s claim of “real foie gras flakes”, but we can’t help thinking that it would have been wiser to, at the very least, utilize artificial flavouring techniques rather than brag about the authenticity of a foodstuff that is highly controversial. After all, have we learnt nothing from the Shark Fin Soup instant noodles (which, it transpires, didn’t contain any actual shark fin)?

However, the new product seems to be a hit with Japan’s Twitter users, with many praising the taste, which is said to resemble “very salty pâté”.

Source: NariNari

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- FamilyMart cancels release of foie gras bento due to complaints over animal cruelty -- 20 bizarre fast food items from Japan -- A call to arms: 5 Japanese potato chip flavours the west badly needs

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