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The
delicacy, long a feature on the menu of gourmet restaurants
across the globe, is made by force-feeding geese to turn their
livers to fat, a process long denounced as cruel by animal
rights activists and increasingly viewed with unease by
authorities in some western cities.
In October, New York City, often considered the U.S. fine dining
capital, prohibited the sale of foie gras, following similar
bans in Chicago and the state of California.
In response, French scientists at research company Aviwell near
Toulouse have developed an alternative version of the delicacy
that uses bacteria - ingested by the goose as a serum - to
stimulate a natural, rather than forced, build-up of fat.
"It's the combination of certain bacteria that is capable of
triggering in baby geese the natural composition, and completely
biological growth, of fat in the liver," company co-founder Remy
Burcelin said.
Aviwell raised 600 geese when it launched its project last year,
and Fosserie has now become the first foie gras farmer to adopt
the technique, which also doubles the birds' average lifespan
from three to six months.
"It's the future, because we see the animal welfare movement
getting bigger and bigger," she said.
This next-generation foie gras will be aimed primarily at the
U.S. market and Europe, where Britain, Finland and Poland have
banned its production.
But the French culinary establishment is taking note too.
Toulouse chef Simon Carlier, who has been creating dishes with
Aviwell's foie gras for a month, described it as subtle and with
an appealing density. It could be served cold or just with
little garnishing.
"We see a texture, which is less nauseating, let's say. We can't
compare it to meat - but in some way, it's easier to eat,"
Carlier said.
It will also be more expensive. While high-quality traditional
foie gras sells for about 300 to 400 euros ($330-440) per kilo
(2.2 lb), Aviwell's version could fetch 1,000 euros.
A naturally fatty goose liver weighs 300-400 grammas while that
of a force-fed goose can weigh around 1 kg.
(Reporting by Regis Duvignau and Michaela Cabrera; Writing by
Matthieu Protard; editing by John Stonestreet)
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