Alesia Cooper, the mother of two, posted a disturbing photo of the chicken breast falling apart in her hands, along with the caption: “I’ve been debating on posting this, but since I had to see it, so do you all. ” She explained that she had been cleaning the meat as usual when it unexpectedly disintegrated.

Cooper mentioned that she had purchased the chicken breast from Aldi, a budget supermarket, and jokingly speculated, “lol I think it’s that fake meat, but I’m not sure. Anyway… I haven’t made chicken off the bone since .”

Online users chimed in with various theories, with some suggesting that the chicken might be 3D printed or grown in a lab. Others attributed it to genetic modification or the use of growth hormones in chicken production to achieve larger breasts, resulting in unusual textures like “woody breast” or “spaghetti meat.”

While the phenomenon might not pose health risks to consumers, concerns were raised about the welfare of the chickens raised in the industry, which breeds them to grow larger at faster rates. The demand for white meat has driven this shift, with consumers preferring products like chicken nuggets and sandwiches.

Some online commenters expressed disgust over the stringy chicken, prompting discussions about alternative sources of meat, such as locally sourced and humanely raised options. Others considered adopting vegetarian or vegan diets in response to concerns about factory farming practices and animal welfare.