Costco's Stringy Raw Chicken Is Giving Us The Ick

Costco shoppers may want to think twice before buying raw chicken breast from the retailer's grocery aisles after a recent discovery one member made when cutting into their newly purchased chicken. In a Reddit post on the r/Costco thread, one user shared a photo of their newly purchased chicken breast from Costco that appears stringy, squishy, and mutated. Multiple users on Reddit responded to the photo, claiming they struggle to eat chicken because of these sorts of deformities. One user even wrote, "I'm getting chicken ptsd." After glancing at the photo, we can understand how it might make someone want to rethink their dinner plans.

This weird shredding is hard to look at for people who get a little queasy around raw meat, but it is not a sign that your chicken has gone bad. This phenomenon is called "spaghetti meat," and surprisingly, it is still safe to consume once prepared. However, the unappealing visual combined with the clear texture difference may cause even the biggest chicken lover to think twice before digging in.

While the look and texture of this chicken may give off major red flags, poultry that has experienced this deformity has not been found to cause any discomfort, digestion, or sickness. The phenomenon of "spaghetti meat" occurs when a chicken experiences extremely fast growth while being raised, causing their breast muscles to become stringy and mushy. AG Daily reported that this uncomfortable visual only occurs in 5-7% of poultry. Unfortunately for the handful of Costco members who have confirmed on Reddit that they have purchased this abnormal-looking chicken before, they most likely grabbed an unlikely batch of poultry affected by this rapid muscle growth.

While it may not affect the taste or safety of the chicken, it is understandable that people are thinking twice about consuming spaghetti-fied chicken breast. For many, the texture of a food makes just as big of an impact as the flavor or aroma. When spaghetti meat occurs, the muscular fibers are manipulated during the chicken's growth, and in many cases, it leads to a slight change in texture even after it's cooked. If we were unlucky enough to snag one of these chicken breasts off Costco's shelves, we would definitely be taking advantage of the retailer's forgiving return policy.