Dear fans, readers and followers, lovers of wonderful recipes and healthy life.
If you’re a fan of the movie “That’s All She Had” the Chicken Sandwich and waffle fries, then you must have come across this news; change is coming at chick-fil-A chicken and the antibiotics. For the past several years, Chick-fil-A has boldly advertised its “No Antibiotics Ever” policy, but it has changed its mind recently.
But what does this mean for your beloved fast food treat? Let’s not forget about your health. Without further ado, here are the clucking specifics of what Chick-fil-A is doing for antibiotics in its chickens.
Table of Contents
Why the Change?
Primarily, Chick-fil-A permits antibiotics in the chickens because of supply chain constraints. The management of this company explained that they no longer saw it feasible to maintain NAE policy, which was why they decided to adopt NAIHM. Under this new policy, human medicine-only antibiotics will still be shunned, whereas other antibiotics important to animals can be used where necessary in treating sick animals.
What’s the Difference Between NAE and NAIHM?
| Policy | Definition |
| No Antibiotics Ever (NAE) | No antibiotics of any kind are used to raise the animal. |
| No Antibiotics Important To Human Medicine (NAIHM) | Only antibiotics that are not critical for human medicine are allowed. |
This change will not switch the Chick-fil-A chicken entirely to 100 percent antibiotic-free, but the firm would like the public to understand that it cares for the well-being of the birds, as well as the procedures followed.
The Health Implications of Antibiotics in Chicken
It is not a simple matter of treating our animals here; the use of antibiotics in livestock isn’t just a matter of animal health. Here’s what you need to know:
1. Antibiotic Resistance
However, one of the ever-increasing issues with the infection model is the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Pig feed enriched with antibiotics nearly on a daily basis makes bacteria resistant, and the use of antibiotics by humans is rendered useless. In the words of nutritionist GQ Jordan, “Any bacteria in food can easily spread to humans, resulting in hard-to-treat infections.”
2. Gut Health
Antibiotics, for example, can also affect the composition of this microbiome, which affects digestion, immune and even mental health. Antibiotics decrease SCFA access and affect glucose stability, food choices, and overall well-being, pediatric dietitian Emma Shafqat writes.
3. Long-Term Risks
Although they may not be severe in the short term, regular consumption of antibiotic-fed meat may pose a broad array of issues to the health of the general population, such as antibiotic ineffectiveness.
What Can You Do as a Consumer?
If you’re concerned about the use of antibiotics in your food, here are some steps you can take:
1. Look for Labels
When choosing the chicken, always go for products that are labeled ‘Raised Without Antibiotics’ Or products with organic labeling. These labels suggest that these animals were not treated with antibiotics in their lifetime.
2. Choose Grass-Fed and Free-Range
Natural, pastured, grass-finished, free-range, and organic meats are a better choice if you want to avoid antibiotic use. Most of these products are obtained from animals that are reared in better environments than their counterparts.
3. Research Restaurant Policies
We enjoy national chains such as Chick-fil-A, so take time to research the company’s sourcing guidelines or practices. Most restaurants avail this information on its website.
The Bigger Picture
Chick-fil-A’s shift is part of broader issues in the food sector by 2022, with growing concerns over strategies for raising revenue. Supply chain requirements, animal welfare, and public health are not easy to organize and manage.
As much as changing to NAIHM may extend the company’s supply, it is a wake-up call to address issues of transparency and customer awareness.
Key Takeaways
- Chick-fil-A, for instance, was forced to offer a label that from what was previously communicated as “No Antibiotics Ever,” to what it currently has, “No Antibiotics Important to Human Medicine.”
- Other consequences of feeding antibiotics to livestock include toxicity and residue of antibiotics within the gut, hence development and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
- Consumers lose because there is always lesser quality meat for them to choose from, starting with antibiotic-containing and moving to organic meats.
FAQ
1. Why did Chick-fil-A change its antibiotic policy?
Among the factors that influenced the change from NAE to NAIHM, Chick-fil-A rated the source of supply as the highest.
2. What’s the difference between NAE and NAIHM?
NAE means no antibiotics ever, while NAIHM means non-urgent antibiotics in human medicine may be needed.
3. Why is the convenient use of antibiotics in chickens a potential threat to human health?
This may cause antibiotic resistance, distortion of equilibrium of fauna of the gastrointestinal tract, and people promotion at long-term periods of formation of issues for public health.
4. How would you go about not consuming meat that has been fed with antibiotics?
To avoid buying foods containing antibiotics one should look for a label that says “Raised Without Antibiotics” or if it’s labeled “organic” or for other labels like grass-fed or free-range.
5. Is Chick-fil-A chicken still okay to eat?
Yes, but if antibiotics are a problem, there are likely other approaches through which you can reduce the amount of antibiotics you should receive.
Consuming healthfully means that you should educate yourself about the foods that you’re willing to risk to get and make informed decisions.
Conclusion
The issue of the use of antibiotics in chickens is still very much a subject of discussion. That change, while contested, is representative of these dynamics.
Learning more about the policy and how NAIHM is affecting the food we eat, we are better placed to be part of the discourse being encouraged by organizations to ensure that consumerism is done responsibly. They should not only ‘eat more chicken,’ but they also have to know why they’re eating what is in front of them.
