July 30, 2019
Whether or not the emphasis on healthier eating and better quality products is being driven by millennials is up in the air, but it’s happening nonetheless, and it is slowly reaching the fast food industry.
Taco Bell, home of Mexican-inspired fast food, announced Monday a commitment to reducing antibiotics in the company’s beef supply in the United States and Canada by 25 percent by 2025.
This comes after McDonald's made a similar announcement in 2018 and follows efforts by Chipotle, Chick-fil-A and Burger King to offer more healthy eating and dietary-friendly options.
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This reduction in antibiotic use will benefit consumer health because their overuse in farming and agriculture can lead to drug resistance in humans, meaning infections that can’t be treated by antibiotics, according to Medical News Today.
Antibiotics in meat have also been associated with weight gain and obesity, and are thought to eradicate “good” bacteria from the gut, Medical News Today said.
“This new policy around its dominant menu protein, beef, will better protect human, animal and environmental health,” the company’s announcement reads.
In selecting beef suppliers, Taco Bell will offer preference to those making “measured reductions” to their antibiotic use, as well as those who increase veterinary oversight when needed to treat sick animals, those who comply with the Beef Quality Assurance system, and other key organizations within the movement.
The fast food chain will give a progress report on the goals in 2022.
