BETHESDA, Maryland, January 20, 2004 (ENS) - People who eat chicken may be taking in greater amounts of arsenic than anyone has previously thought. Arsenic concentrations in young chickens are three times greater than in other meat and poultry products, U.S. government scientists report in the January issue of "Environmental Health Perspectives."

Arsenic is an approved animal dietary supplement and is found in specifically approved drugs added to poultry and other animal feeds. It is fed to broiler chickens in the form of Roxarsone (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl arsonic acid) to control intestinal parasites.