KFC has confirmed that it has been forced to temporarily drop chicken nuggets from the menu in hundreds of stores.
7NEWS.com.au understands that KFC stores in Victoria and South Australia will not serve the snack due to a disruption within its supply chain.
The fast food chain will instead be offering Popcorn Chicken as a replacement in impacted shared meals.
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It’s believed the shortage in nuggets is not related to the recent bird flu outbreak in poultry farms in Victoria.
More than half a million chickens have been euthanised at five egg farms in Victoria’s southwest in an effort to stop the spread of the disease.
It’s understood that KFC Australia is working with suppliers to restock affected areas ASAP, with nuggets to be available again in the coming days.
Panic that the shortage was due to Victoria’s bird flu saga came to light after Melbourne radio show 3AW claimed KFC stores could be experiencing shortages due to the outbreak.
Last week, food authorities have issued an urgent alert to Australian consumers about cooked chicken and eggs, allaying concerns about any potential bird flu contamination.
“Avian influenza (bird flu) is not a food safety concern and it is safe to eat properly handled and cooked chicken meat, eggs and egg products,” it said in a new statement.
“There is no evidence to show the virus can be transmitted to people through properly prepared food.”
FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert added: “Farms affected by bird flu have been quarantined and the movement of animals and products restricted,” Dr Cuthbert said.
“Poultry flocks affected by bird flu are being destroyed as part of the emergency response to contain the disease as it is highly contagious in poultry. This approach is to restrict the spread of the disease between birds, not to manage food safety.
“For animal products to be sold as food, animals must not be a source of food safety concerns. All retail products must meet strict food safety production requirements.
“Together, biosecurity and food regulation measures provide confidence in the safety of the food supply.
“Consumers can be assured poultry and egg products on sale are safe to eat, noting consumers and food businesses should always follow good hygiene practices when handling and preparing food.”
