Under federal law antibiotics are banned in the food supply, yet food companies feel compelled to market their absence in meat products. One fast food chain recently announced a change to its meat sourcing standards and many customers are questioning the change.

Whether foods are labeled “antibiotic free” or not is irrelevant in the discussion of the existence of antibiotics in meat products. There are strict policies enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding the use of antibiotics in the raising of livestock for consumption. Those policies ensure antibiotics are virtually non-existent in the U.S. food supply.

In the fast-food chain announcement, reference was made to a switch from using meat labeled as “no antibiotics ever” to “no antibiotics important to human medicine.” As the name suggests, “no antibiotics ever,” means an animal received no antibiotics during its lifetime, regardless of need. 

The term “no antibiotics important to human medicine” needs a little more unpacking.

First, some antibiotics have uses for both people and animals. For example, doxycycline is an antibiotic prescribed to both people and animals primarily to treat infections but, in people, it can also prevent malaria or treat acne or rosacea. For labeling purposes, “no antibiotics important to human medicine” allows the use of antibiotics that are approved exclusively for animal use and only if an animal or the animals in a herd or flock become ill and require treatment.

According to the release from the fast-food chain, the decision to change its ingredient standards for meat were driven by supply issues. International poultry trade projections back up that claim. They appear to trend downward through most of 2024.

No matter one’s preference on meat labeling, there is one additional thought to consider. In the era of “pet parents” and strollers for cats, it is outrageous that anyone would demand denial of antibiotics to a sick animal, even one destined for the food supply. Insisting on antibiotic free meat availability is an endorsement of animal cruelty.

Kudos to this fast-food chain for understanding its needs in an ever-changing market, addressing them quickly and transparently.