“Where’s the beef?” That was a familiar slogan from Wendy’s fast food television commercials years ago. Fast forward to today, and a better saying might be “Where’s the safe beef?” That’s because much of the beef sold in fast food restaurants now is utterly unsafe. Fast food restaurants overall are doing a horrible job at keeping their customers safe.
That was proven in a report published by researchers from several groups, including U.S. PIRG, Consumer Reports, and the Natural Resources Defense Council. The report said that a shocking 22 out of 25 restaurant chains they studied that sell burgers get a failing grade when it comes to using antibiotics in their beef.
Meanwhile, the researchers discovered that only two of the chains deserved to receive an A grade. Those two are BurgerFi and Shake Shack, and they sell only beef that is raised without antibiotics.
Fast food chains are not exactly forthcoming with information about their food safety and quality. Wendy’s of “Where’s the beef” fame and Shake Shack are the only two who went public with third-party reports about antibiotics in their beef. But don’t think Wendy’s beef is safe because of that. In fact, they received slightly above a failing grade, according to the researchers.
You’re probably wondering by now which fast food chains received failing grades in the study. They are McDonald’s, Burger King, Sonic, In-N-Out Burger, Steak ‘N’ Shake, Hardee’s, Carl’s Jr., Five Guys, Jack in the Box, White Castle, Smashburger, Whataburger, Checkers and Rally’s, Krystal, Fuddruckers, A&W, Jack’s, JFC, The Habit, LUB, Freddy’s Steakburgers, and Farmer Boys.
Corey Winograd, CEO of BurgerFi, had something to say about the reported information:
“The results from (the report) came as no surprise to us. We are known for delivering the all-natural burger experience and we will continue with a commitment to quality food that ensures no steroids, antibiotics, growth hormones, chemicals or additives are ever used.”
Jeffrey Amoscato, vice president of supply chain and menu innovation with Shake Shack, also commented by saying “(We are) thrilled to be recognized for our efforts” in pointing out that all the beef, chicken and pork (our) company sells is produced with no antibiotics and hormones.”
Here were the researchers’ criteria that they studied:
- Whether the companies had a policy on antibiotics in beef
- If they had a policy like that, how they put it into practice and how open and honest they were about using antibiotics in meat being sold in their restaurants
Speaking of being open and honest (or not), the companies listed above that received a failing grade did so because they did not complete and return a survey that the researchers sent to them. They also did not publish their policy about antibiotic use on their websites.
Antibiotics are used in animals to prevent and treat infections, but in many instances they are overused.
Why is antibiotic use in beef and other meat so much of a concern? For one, it could be contributing to the problem of antibiotic-resistant infections in society as a whole. That has become a serious problem in recent years, and that had been predicted many years ago. Also, overuse of antibiotics can make it more likely that people who eat the meat will develop a serious case of food poisoning.
Antibiotic use in meat other than beef, such as poultry, is not quite as severe of a situation as it is for beef. Increasing numbers of restaurants that sell chicken are steering clear of meat that uses antibiotics.
It is not just antibiotics that people who buy fast food have to be concerned about. There are all sorts of harmful ingredients in much of the fast food sold, including trans fats, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, GMOs, high levels of sugar, artificial colors, artificial flavors, processed foods and much more. It is not exactly safe or healthy to eat at fast food places.
People who eat beef would be wise to thoroughly research a restaurant before buying anything there. Find out where the meat and other foods come from and how they are prepared. Look at the restaurant’s website for more details. This might seem like it entails some legwork, and it does, but you can’t put a price tag on your health. Health is wealth, as the saying goes.
