Foie gras is a luxury food made from the liver of a duck or goose that has been fattened through force-feeding, a process called gavage. The birds are prevented from exercising and are force-fed with a diet that is rich in grain, especially corn, which whitens the liver from its maroon color, and are fattened gradually. The force-feeding process causes the birds livers to become enlarged and diseased, resulting in hepatic steatosis, or fatty liver disease. After slaughter, the birds swollen and yellowed livers are sold whole or ground up into a pâté, parfait, or mousse.

Foie gras production has been banned in several countries, including the UK, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Poland, Turkey, Argentina, Australia, and Israel. In the US, California has banned its production, and in 2022, a ban on the sale of foie gras will take effect in New York City. Despite the bans, foie gras is still imported and sold in some high-end restaurants and certain upmarket online stores and supermarkets.

The production of foie gras has drawn controversy around the world for its unnecessary and cruel production methods, including force-feeding animals, which is against the law in many countries. The birds suffer immensely so that their diseased livers can be enjoyed by a handful of wealthy individuals at high-end restaurants and on holidays.