Global fried chicken franchise KFC has launched legal action against three Chinese companies for lying about its junk food.

The companies claimed on Chinese social media that the fast food giant uses genetically engineered, six-winged, eight-legged poultry to boost profits.

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KFC denied the multi-limbed claims and demanded an apology and the equivalent of more than $3 million in compensation in a statement on its website.

A case has been filed in a Chinese court, the company said.

This fake image has fuelled the rumours. Photo: Eric Wayne

The companies targeted by the lawsuit were Ying Chen An Zhi Chenggong Culture Communications, Wei Lu Kuang Technology, and Ling Dian Technology.

KFC has been the victim of many false claims in recent years, many of which focussed on its shortened name.

Originally called ‘Kentucky Fried Chicken’, conspiracy theorists have speculated that the company removed the word ‘chicken’ to allow it to legally use other types of meat (or mutants).

The New Daily understands these claims to be false.

One of the images widely circulated online to prove the allegation is in fact a computer generated image of a rooster.

Illustrator Eric Wayne claimed to have created the image in an effort to prove how easy it is to create a false rumour. Unfortunately, his image was copied and used to promote the rumour.