US McDonald's to stop buying chickens treated with human antibiotics

Want China Times, Staff Reporter 2015-03-07

A McDonald's outlet in Beijing, July 29, 2014. (File photo/Xinhua)

The US chain of McDonald's fast food restaurants announced on March 4 that they will gradually stop purchasing chickens raised with antibiotics that are commonly used to treat humans. The ban will be implemented in 14,000 restaurants in the United States but will not be applied to the chain's 20,000 restaurants in the rest of the world.

On March 4, McDonald's China released a statement saying that it has always required its suppliers to abide by China's laws and regulations with regard to the use of antibiotics and has been following a policy enforced by McDonald's in 2003, according to the Beijing News.

The company also said it will discuss the matter with the relevant government agencies, experts and suppliers, with a view to gradually adopting the same measure as the US restaurants.

McDonald's China said its suppliers use antibiotics to treat poultry only when necessary and under the supervision of veterinarians.

Regarding the kinds of drugs used and the doses administered, McDonald's China said it has complied strictly with the legal requirements.

In addition, the company said, it is a requirement that its chickens be tested for antibiotic residues at a third-party laboratory.

Sun Zhongshi, an expert with China's National Health and Family Planning Commission, told the paper that veterinary drug standards are established by the Ministry of Agriculture and implemented by the China Food and Drug Administration.

He said that the consumption of chicken raised with human antibiotics can lead to drug resistance in humans.

Lawyer You Yunting, meanwhile, said the adoption of different standards by McDonald's in the US and China does not constitute regional discrimination.

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