The Food Standards Agency (FSA) Sun] said it is looking into poultry imported from the Netherlands which contains as much as 35 per cent water - but was described as having a meat content of 80 per cent.

The chickens were destined for places such as restaurants, take-aways, school canteens, hospitals and care homes.

Although it is not illegal or unhealthy to add water or animal protein to chicken, under European Union regulations consumers must be told they have been added. While this is often the case in supermarkets, restaurant and canteen menus rarely provide such a label.

The FSA said in a statement: 'As part of a routine survey work we are currently investigating a small number of possible cases of mislabelled chicken from the Netherlands being sold in the UK. The cases concern the levels of water and protein added to the chicken.