Chick-fil-A is changing its culinary commitment starting this spring, making a big impact on the brand’s famous chicken.
Like Tyson Foods, Chick-fil-A will drop its promise to offer antibiotic-free chicken at all of the chain’s locations.
According to a statement issued by Chick-fil-A on March 25, the restaurant will soon begin moving from Never Use Antibiotics to Do Not Take Antibiotics Important to Human Medicine.
“NAE means that no antibiotics of any kind were used in raising the animal,” the statement reads.
“The NAIHM restricts the use of those antibiotics that are important to human medicine and commonly used to treat people, and allows the use of animal antibiotics only if the animal and those around it become ill.”
Chick-fil-A chicken will still be free of artificial preservatives, steroids and added hormones.
Chick-fil-A issued a statement on March 25 saying they would move from Never Use Antibiotics to Do Not Take Antibiotics Important to Human Medicine in spring 2024.
Chick-fil-A chicken will still be free of artificial preservatives, steroids and added hormones.
No antibiotic important to human medicine restricts the use of those antibiotics that are important to human medicine and are used to treat people.
Chick-fil-A made its antibiotic-free pledge for the first time in 2014.
However, according to NBCChicken farmers were forced to turn to antibiotics after an outbreak of bird flu began in the poultry supply in 2022.
Chick-fil-A’s move comes less than a year after Tyson Foods announced the company would end its “antibiotic-free commitment.”
“We base our decisions on sound science and a growing understanding of best practices that impact our customers, consumers and the animals in our care,” a Tyson Foods spokesperson told Wall Street Journal in 2023.
According to Chick-fil-A’s statement, the fast food chain has been dedicated to quality and their ‘commitment to the high-quality chicken’ that consumers expect from them comes from three things.
Chicken farmers began turning to antibiotics following an outbreak of bird flu in the poultry supply starting in 2022.
Chick-fil-A is very selective about the chicken served in all restaurants.
“Quality has always been our focus in food,” their statement read.
“And because chicken is the center of our menu, we only serve real, white breast meat, with no added fillers, artificial preservatives or steroids.”
The restaurant chain sources its chicken from American farms and continues Animal welfare standards.
In addition to being born, raised, and harvested in the U.S., chickens must be in climate-controlled barns and raised with proper nutrition.
The restaurant chain continues to consult with members of the Animal Welfare Council who provide feedback on Chick-fil-A’s policies and practices.
“With your input, we constantly evaluate our approach to animal welfare to ensure it is consistent with or exceeds industry standards,” officials said in the restaurant chain’s statement.
Although it is unclear if the avian flu has affected any of Chick-fil-A’s suppliers, it has resulted in the cull of 82 million birds in 47 states from 2022.
The restaurant chain sources its chicken from American farms and follows expert-approved animal welfare standards.
Bird flu, also known as bird flu, has affected more than 7 million chickens in approximately 40 commercial flocks and 24 backyard flocks.
California was especially hard hit by the outbreak, even leading to a San Francisco company having to kill 550,000 laying hens.
“We have wild birds that are full of viruses,” said Rodrigo Gallardo, a researcher at the University of California-Davis. The Guardian at the beginning of this year.
“And if you expose your birds to these wild birds, they could become infected and get sick.”
Fortunately, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention They have only identified four human infections in the US.
The CDC also confirmed that the current risk of bird flu spreading among the general public is low, meaning Chick-fil-A customers will likely not be affected by the bird flu outbreak.