“Many of our favorite fast food and restaurant chains continue to contribute to the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, according to a report released Thursday by advocacy groups,” reports CNN:
Fifteen of America’s favorites received an “F” for their lack of action in reducing the use of beef raised with antibiotics, including Burger King, DQ, Jack In the Box, Pizza Hut, Olive Garden, Chili’s, Sonic, Applebee’s and the pizza chains of Domino’s, Little Caesars and Pizza Hut. Only Chipotle and Panera Bread, who were early leaders in using only antibiotic-free beef and chicken, received an “A”…
Despite the severity of the problem, the U.S. lacks appropriate laws to regulate overuse of antibiotics in our food chain. Thus advocacy groups have turned to some of the largest buyers of raw beef and chicken — restaurants — and asked them to use their purchasing power to force change. And it works. A huge success story over the past five years is the reduction of chicken raised with antibiotics in many of our favorite restaurants, said Lena Brook, director of food campaigns for the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the groups who sponsor the study. Others include Consumer Reports, the Milken Institute School for Public Health and the Center for Food Safety… The early push by Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panera Bread, followed by Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s and Subway, began a domino effect that encouraged major chicken supply companies to get on board, the report said.
Yet the article notes that almost two-thirds of the antibodies sold in the U.S. are still going to food animals…
of this story at Slashdot.
Source:: Slashdot