WASHINGTON, D.C. — Despite growing pressure on restaurants to source different meat products, chances are that eating from a fast food chain still means ingesting meat with antibiotics given to farm animals.
That’s according to a new report called Chain Reaction that gives failing grades to Burger King, KFC, Wendy’s and many other popular chains. The results were compiled through research by several organizations including Friends of the Earth, Consumer’s Union, Natural Resources Defense Council, Keep Antibiotics Working, the Center for Food Safety and Food Animal Concerns Trust.
Out of 25 restaurants, just five received passing grades in the report, billed as the first scorecard that ranks foodservice chains on their commitment to eliminate or minimize antibiotic use by their suppliers. McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts each received a C.
Chick-fil-A, which has vowed to eliminate antibiotics in its food altogether by 2019, received a B, while Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panera Bread were given As in the report.
Failing grades were also given to Domino’s, Olive Garden, Chili’s, Sonic, Denny’s, Starbucks, Papa John’s, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Applebee’s, Jack in the Box, Arby’s, Subway, Dairy Queen, IHOP, Outback Steakhouse and Little Caesar’s.
Human resistance to antibiotics has been declared by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as one of the top five health threats in the nation, and links the use of antibiotics in farm animals to the growing problem.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also imposed restrictions to eliminate certain uses of antibiotics in farm animals by the end of 2016. Administering a drug to enhance growth with less feed will be among the prohibited uses in restrictions, which do allow for continued use of antibiotics to fight sickness and disease in farm animals, with veterinary oversight.
"Each year, at least 2 million Americans contract antibiotic-resistant infections and 23,000 died as a result. Tragically, much of it is unnecessary,’’ stated the CDC. "Up to half of antibiotic use in humans and much of antibiotic use in animals is unnecessary and inappropriate and makes everyone less safe."
The USDA says the initiative to eliminate the non-medical use of antibiotics on the farm is voluntary. It is also recommending drug companies remove non-medical uses of antibiotics from their FDA-approved product labels – which is also voluntary.
According to Friends of the Earth, 70-80 percent of antibiotics sold in the United States are used in so-called "factory farms." And, the FDA in a 2009 report claimed confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), to spur growth and hindered by cramped, unsanitary conditions, used 29 million pounds of antibiotics that year.
According to researchers, antibiotics in farm animals are transferred to humans during consumption of their meat, and through manure used as crop fertilizer. The issue is of concern worldwide, too, with Australia, for example, urging farmers to take precautions when handling animals being treated with antibiotics.
"People administering antibiotics and caring for the animals being treated with antibiotics are at risk of developing resistance through exposure to antibiotics at the time of administration or exposure to resistant bugs from treated animals," said Dr. Julia Nicholls, president of the Australian Veterinary Assoc.
