FOIE GRAS: FROM REFINEMENT TO CRUELTY

Abstract

This article presents a review of critical points related to the production of foie gras, based on technical-scientific references, regarding the impacts of this type of production on the quality of life of the birds involved. As a subsidy to an analysis on the legitimacy of the activities related to the production and commercialization of foie gras in Brazil, specificities of the Brazilian legal system were considered, as well as problems in the field of animal ethics about exploitation activities that involve animal suffering. In this sense, an exploratory research was conducted on the details and legislation relevant to the production of foie gras from the survey of relevant publications on the subject in scientific articles, books and digital news portals in recent decades. The results of this research led to the categorization of the endorsement of foie gras production as an indefensible practice, for implying evident risks and damage to health, resulting in a low degree of welfare and absence of minimum conditions that allow a good quality of life for the birds. And, due to the identification of the raising of birds for the production of foie gras as incompatible with national standards and basic principles protecting animal dignity, this article concludes that this practice is unsustainable.