The World Health Organization (WHO) has called antibiotic-resistant bacteria a top threat to global health. But, WHO also says the risks can be mitigated.
According to the organization, antibiotic resistance is “accelerated by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics,” but “steps can be taken at all levels of society to reduce the impact.”
And one of those steps starts in the food supply chain, which is what led some interest groups to rank the use of antibiotics in fast food beef in an annual report.
The report looks at which fast food restaurants are making strides in reducing the use of antibiotics in their beef supplies.
“Fast food restaurants, as some of America’s largest meat buyers, can play an instrumental role in pushing meat producers to use antibiotics responsibly,” the report reads.
The report notes that there's been a large reduction in the amount of antibiotics used in chicken supply — many top restaurants have stopped using chickens raised with antibiotics all together — but beef has been more slow moving.
The availability of beef raised without antibiotics remains limited, the authors of the report note.
The report was compiled by Consumer Reports, Natural Resources Defense Council, The Antibiotic Resistance Action Center, Center For Food Safety, Food Animal Concerns Trust, And U.S. PIRG Education Fund.
So how did fast food chains stack up?
- Chipotle and Panera took the top spots. They were the only two chains to earn a grade in the "A" range for their approach "to responsible antibiotic use in beef supplies."
- McDonald's, which the report notes is the single largest purchaser of beef in the United States, earned a "C" on the report card, along with Subway.
- The report says Subway's efforts this year to update its global antibiotics policies to align with WHO guidelines improved its grade, but noted it remains to be seen how the pledge "will relate to implementation for their beef supplies."
- Wendy's and Taco Bell took home "D" grades, while the remaining 15 top restaurants got a failing score.
But the use of antibiotics is larger than just the restaurant chains.
“While restaurants and major meat producers have critical roles to play in stopping the overuse of antibiotics, urgent government action is critical to achieve the kind of lasting, industry-wide overhaul needed to fully protect public health,” the report concludes.
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