Foie Gras off the menu for Scottish Government functions

Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:04

Advocates for Animals and Labour MSP Irene Oldfather have received assurance that Foie Gras will no longer be served at functions hosted at the First Minister’s Bute House.

We were appalled to hear that foie gras had made it to Alex Salmond's dinner table and asked Labour MSP Irene Oldfather to table written questions to the Scottish Government on this topic. In response, she was given assurances that Foie Gras would no longer be served to guests by the First Minister.

Libby Anderson, policy director at Advocates for Animals, said:

“The cruelty involved in the production of foie gras is immense and many people refuse on principle to buy it or eat it. Scotland has many more humane delicacies to offer its visitors and we are pleased that the Scottish Government has issued guidance to its suppliers about serving these instead.”

Irene added:

“I was horrified to learn that this so-called delicacy had apparently been served at official Scottish Government functions. Visitors to Scotland should not be given food that is produced by methods so cruel that they would be illegal in our country."

“I am relieved to have the assurance from two Ministers that foie gras will not be served again.”

What is Foie Gras?

Foie gras is the fatty liver of ducks and geese, produced in countries such as France, Hungary, Bulgaria, United States, Canada and China, by a method known as gavage which involves force-feeding the birds by means of a funnel thrust into their throats.

During the gavage period, most of the birds are confined in individual cages so small that they cannot even stand up or turn around. Pneumatic pumps are used to force large quantities of fatty maize down the animals' throats, resulting in the liver swelling to 6-10 times its normal size.

The huge liver expands the abdomen which can make walking and even breathing difficult. The birds are fed a quantity of food which, if they were not slaughtered, would almost certainly kill them, leading to diseases such as fibrosis, liver haemorrhages and jaundice.