Wild TikTok claim that millions of pounds of rat meat are being served as chicken wings in US chains is debunked

A WILD new TikTok claim that millions of pounds of rat meat are being served across the US has been debunked.

The unfounded theory was shared in a 13-second clip posted to the site earlier this month.

It appears to show graphics and text resembling cable news shown over an image of cooked rats.

The fake breaking news reads: "Breaking News: One million pounds of rat meat being sold in America.

"Million pounds of rat meat being sold as boneless chicken wings in the U.S." the false story adds.

FALSE CLAIMS

The post has since gone viral, with thousands of likes.

A similar version on Instagram has received more than 65,000 views.

The image also appeared on Facebook and Twitter.

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But experts note that the claim is false and there is no evidence that any US chain is using rat meat.

The Department of Agriculture's Food and Safety Inspection Service has not issued any alerts on the issue.

And the Food and Drug Administration said it was a false claim in a statement, USA Today reports.

IMAGE FROM THAILAND

It's believed the picture first came from a 2007 image taken in Thailand.

The image containing the claim has been used to create false posts about rat meat since at least 2016, according to the AP.

Past versions of the story falsely claimed that U.S. officials confiscated thousands of pounds of imported rat meat at the Port of San Francisco.

Another fake story said that the Food and Drug Administration had warned consumers that retail chicken wings may actually be rat meat.

But the agency told The Associated Press in 2017 and 2018 that the claims are false.

There are no recent legitimate media reports covering rat meat being disguised as chicken in the U.S.

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