US company vows to serve antibiotic-free chicken
Announced on Tuesday (11 February), the company claimed the decision was made after it had been approached by its customers, who posed questions about the use of antibiotics in chicken.
In a statement, the company said: “From the day our founder, Truett Cathy, invented the Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, he insisted upon using the best-tasting, highest-quality ingredients – so much so, he included the ‘A’ in the company’s name to serve as a reminder. That was 50 years ago, but the commitment is firmly in place today.
“This is why we are collaborating with national and regional poultry suppliers to build a supply chain based on chickens raised with no antibiotics. We are asking suppliers to work with the USDA to verify that antibiotics are never administered, from the hatchery to the processing plant.”
Chick-fil-A has also previously responded to other health concerns from its customers, such as removing yellow dye from its chicken soup last year.
Meanwhile, the announcement comes amid an ongoing debate over the use of antibiotics in animals and the US Food and Drug Administration has previously announced that the use contributes to the development of antimicrobial resistance.
