USA – Tyson Foods, the world’s second-largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and pork, has announced its plan to modify its “No Antibiotics Ever” (NAE) production claim for Tyson branded chicken used in its supply chain to reflect its new, “No Antibiotics Important to Human Medicine” (NAIHM) claim by the end of 2023.
According to a Spokesman from the US meat giant, the company based its decisions on sound science and the selection of the antibiotics to be used will follow a standard recognized by the US Department of Agriculture.
In a statement confirming the move, the spokesperson said the change will continues to support the company’s approach to responsible stewardship and the decision was made with the best interest of people and animals in mind.
“At Tyson Foods, we base our decisions on sound science and an evolving understanding of the best practices impacting our customers, consumers and the animals in our care,” the spokesman said.
“While roughly half of the industry uses some form of antibiotic in producing chicken, NAIHM is a heightened standard that has been recognized by the USDA for decades and qualified through program documentation showing no antibiotics important to human health have been used.”
In addition, Steve Roach, the director of the Safe and Healthy Food Programme at the US campaign group, Keep Antibiotics Working, criticized Tyson’s decision to re-start the use of some antibiotics.
Roach said Keep Antibiotics Working had focused on “medically important antibiotics” in its campaigning to reduce the over-use of the drugs.
“There is growing evidence that the use of the non-medically important antibiotics also contributes to the human health problem of antibiotic resistance,” he added.
He cited studies indicating that using ionophores, the non-medically important antibiotics that Tyson will now be using, can select for resistance to drugs that are used in human medicine even if these drugs themselves are not used.
“These drugs are used in whole herds or flocks at a time with limited restrictions so, even if the risk for a single dose is less than for a medically important drug, they are used much more frequently in many animals at a time often for long durations.”
The recent announcement marks a change in Tyson’s 2015 decision to stop using antibiotics in its production of wings, breasts and nuggets.
Earlier this year, Tyson revealed that the company was struggling with softer demand and higher costs for its product causing it to lower its forecast for full-year sales to US$53 billion to $54 billion from $55 billion to $57 billion.
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