Foie Gras Research Paper

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Ancient Egyptians were some of the first to discover foie gras, due to their domestication of geese (History of Foie Gras). After eating large amounts of grain before migration, the geese livers enlarged, catching the attention of the hunters. They developed a method of force-feeding to enlarge the livers called gavage; this process soon spread throughout the Mediterranean, but was carried on only by the Jewish population after the fall of Rome. The delicacy resurged in the Renaissance, especially in France. Americans enjoyed it during the late 18th century, and has since been a luxury treat. While many think foie gras is a clean and fancy treat, it comes from disgusting, malnourished ducks. Few actually realize the harsh and stressful conditions that ducks are put under. PETA shows the extent of the cruelty in reporting that “workers ram pipes down the throats of male ducks twice each day, pumping up to 2.2 pounds of grain and fat into their stomachs” (Foie Gras: Cruelty to Ducks and Geese). Clearly, ducks and geese are not treated with even the slightest amount of decency1. I realize it would be almost hypocritical to say that animals deserve proper treatment before me slaughter them for our own personal appetite, but it must be said to reveal the underlying hypocrisy of other consumers like myself. As I watch a video of a cow …show more content…
The liver of a duck may sound luxurious to culinary connoisseurs, “but in the case of foie gras, consumers eat the diseased organ itself” (Force-Fed Animals). The Humane Society of the United States informs that “the force feeding can cause bruises, lacerations, and sores. The duck’s [sic] livers may grow to ten times the normal sizes” (Force-Fed Animals). The idea of eating a diseased organ of an animal is appalling; however, some still enjoy it and will pay an outrageous amount for said enjoyment. It has an estimated price per pound of fifty dollars2 (The World’s Priciest
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