OAKBROOK, Ill. — McDonald’s announced March 4 it will only source chicken raised without antibiotics important to human medicine, as well as milk produced without rBST. The moves are the latest signals of food companies adjusting to changing consumer concerns.
The chicken policy will be phased in over two years. Chicken suppliers to McDonald’s will still be allowed to use ionophores, or antibiotics not used for humans. The new milk sourcing policy will take effect this year.
"Our customers want food that they feel great about eating – all the way from the farm to the restaurant – and these moves take a step toward better delivering on those expectations," said McDonald’s U.S. President Mike Andres.
The chicken announcement is good for meat producers, said Martin Bucknavage, Pennsylvania State University extension food safety specialist, who noted chicken sold in the United States is routinely tested for antibiotic residues.
"It’s a consumer marketing decision," he said. "But it’s positive for producers, because it sends the message to consumers that meat is not packed with antibiotics, that chicken is good protein."
The broiler industry is shifting away from using any antibiotics also used in human medicine. Last fall, Tyson and Perdue announced antibiotics use guidelines in their hatcheries that exceeded U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines. In October, Perdue launched the first certified antibiotic-free, frozen, fully-cooked chicken products.
Restaurant market dynamics likely influenced the move. McDonald’s and other quick-serve chains now compete more with "fast casual" restaurants. Fast casual chains Panera and Chipotle already have antibiotic-free chicken menus.
"McDonald’s has lost market share to some companies, like Chipotle, who are taking fast food upscale," explained Mark A. Kastel, senior farm policy analyst at the Wisconsin-based Cornucopia Institute.
Kastel, who said some consumers are concerned about all antibiotics use in food animal production, viewed McDonald’s move as an incremental step. "It certainly doesn’t mitigate all concerns consumers have," he said. "Consumers have become much more sophisticated in terms of the industrialization of the food system."
The McDonald’s poultry announcement coincided with its Global Vision for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Food Animals, a corporate policy statement published last week. That statement prioritizes the sourcing of food raised without antibiotics important in human medicine.
The announcement also coincides with the timeline for a broader poultry industry regulation.
"While antibiotics that are important to human medicine are minimally used when raising chickens, by December 2016 under FDA guidance, these antibiotics will be labeled for use in food animals only to prevent disease and treat sick birds, and will be used exclusively under the supervision and prescription of a veterinarian," said Ashley Peterson, National Chicken Council vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs.
Also last week, retail giant Costco announced a similar sourcing initiative for antibiotics in its chicken, including the cooked rotisserie chickens the chain features in-store. "This is going to be a trend for companies making these kinds of announcements," said Bucknavage.
