Foie gras production through force-feeding waterfowl (gavage) causes liver pathology and welfare distress that has led to bans in several countries and jurisdictions.
Foie gras production deliberately inflicts liver disease on birds to create a luxury food product. The liver enlargement is pathological, not a normal physiological state. The birds experience difficulty breathing as the enlarged liver compresses the air sacs, and repeated tube insertion causes esophageal damage. The welfare harm is not incidental but is intrinsic to the production method. The EU's scientific opinion that foie gras production cannot be reconciled with good welfare is based on extensive evidence and is reflected in growing legal prohibitions.