France to say au revoir to foie gras? Third city this 12 months bans delicacy constructed from compelled fed geese in favour of vegan varities
A town in France has become the third town this year to ban foie gras from official receptions as consumers become increasingly concerned about the ethics of force-feeding geese.
This week Pessac joined Poitiers and Montpellier in favouring ‘ethical’ versions of the French delicacy.
Fifteen towns and cities across the country have introduced similar bans in the past three years, including Bordeaux, Lyon, Annecy, Grenoble and Strasbourg.
Mayor of Pessac, Franck Raynal said: ‘This is a symbolic decision in line with our action in favour of the environment and animal welfare.
‘I hope it will help to raise awareness of the need to ensure animal welfare, especially in industrial food production.’
Foie gras is traditionally made from the liver of a duck or goose that is fattened by force-feeding the bird corn by ramming tubes down their mouth.
Jars of foie gras made from duck liver are displayed for sale at a poultry farm in Doazit, southwestern France (file photo)
Female ducks bred for the production of foie gras are confined in a shed on November 28, 2022 in Sarrant, France
Foie gras is traditionally made from the liver of a duck or goose that is fattened by force-feeding the bird corn by ramming tubes down their mouth
Foie gras: Culinary delight or just plain cruel?
Foie gras is made of duck or goose liver.
By French law, it is defined as the liver of a duck fattened by force feeding corn. Outside France it is sometimes produced using natural feeding.
The technique, known as gavage, dates back as far as 2500 BC when the ancient Egyptians kept birds for food and deliberately fattened them through force feeding.
By French law, foie gras is defined as the liver of a duck fattened by force-fed corn
France is the largest producer and consumer of foie gras but it is made and consumed around the world – especially in Europe, America and China.
In France, foie gras comes in various forms such as whole foie gras which is made of one or two whole liver lobes, or as pieces of livers mixed together.
The technique, known as gavage, dates back as far as 2500 BC when the ancient Egyptians kept birds for food and deliberately fattened them through force feeding.
The process is banned in the UK but around 200 tonnes of foie gras are imported, mainly from France.
Raynal said that the ban on the delicacy at official receptions was aimed at cracking down on industrial producers, who he said do not meet the required standards of animal welfare.
He added: ‘A lot of foie gras consumed in France is industrially produced and people now realise that industrialised food production causes a worsening of conditions for animals.’
Attitudes towards foie gras have been changing in recent years with a YouGov survey suggesting that seven in ten would support a ban on force-feeding.
Some farmers have started trying to tempt the ducks and geese to overeat ‘naturally’ by feeding them sweet treats such as bread and honey.
L214, an animal rights groups has argued, however, it is impossible to make the delicacy ‘humanely’.
The group has encouraged people to pick plant-based alternatives which they claim tastes ‘almost the same’.
In 2021, the world’s first lab-grown foie gras was created using duck stem cells by French start-up Gourmey.
The product was made by extracting cells from a single, fertilised egg and feeding them the same nutrients a duck would be given, including proteins, amino acids and lipids.
Scientists said the result is similar to traditional foie gras, offering a buttery and delicate taste without the ethical concerns.
An unnamed Michelin-star chef from Aquitaine, the region famed for foie gras, tried Gourmey’s foie gras and reportedly said he was unable to tell the difference. He also said he would cook with the lab-grown pâté.
Lab-grown: The world’s first lab-grown foie gras (pictured) created using duck stem cells
It comes as regulators said last month that cruelty-free foie gras could be one of the first lab-grown products made available in the UK.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) will launch their ‘Sandbox’ programme in February next year, designed to test lab-grown products to make sure they are safe for consumers to eat.
