Consumers Union, the policy and action division of Consumer Reports, has put out its third report rating national chain restaurants on their use of antibiotics in meat. The report grades these restaurants from A to F, based upon the restaurant’s policy for the meat and poultry it buys.
The subject of antibiotics in food is a serious one. The United Nations called the practice a global health crisis on par with AIDS. The overuse of antibiotics increases levels of drug-resistant bacteria, which according to the United Nations “will make providing high-quality universal healthcare coverage more difficult if not impossible.”
The past couple of years has seen some big-name chains making promises to discontinue use of antibiotic-treated meat. McDonald’s, for example has moved away from using poultry that had been treated with important human antibiotics starting last year. But this report reveals we still have a long way to go.
Here’s how 25 major chain restaurants ranked:
A: Chipotle, Panera Bread
B+: Subway
B: Chick-fil-A
B-: Taco Bell, KFC
C+: McDonald’s
C: Wendy’s
D+: Pizza Hut, Starbucks
D: Dunkin’ Donuts, Jack in the Box, Burger King, Papa John’s
F: Dairy Queen, Sonic, Olive Garden, Applebee’s, Domino’s, Chili’s, Little Caesars, Arby’s, IHOP, Cracker Barrel, Buffalo Wild Wings
As you can see, there are a lot of chains sitting at the bottom with an “F” grade. Restaurants received an “F” if they “have taken no discernible action to reduce use of antibiotics in their supply chains.”
Restaurants that got an “A” grade showed “exemplary policies and practices with respect to antibiotic use.” They both serve pork and beef, as well as poultry, raised without antibiotics.
Another thing the report pointed out was that while many restaurants have begun moving away from buying chicken that has been treated with important human antibiotics, there hasn’t been enough of a change when it comes to beef, pork or turkey.
Check out the full report to see how they scored the restaurants.
H/T Grubstreet