All poultry meat that enters the U.S. food supply is, by definition, antibiotic-free or, more specifically, it is free of antibiotic residues by the time it reaches consumers — regardless of how the birds were raised. “There is absolutely no nutritional difference in meat from poultry raised without antibiotics compared to poultry that receive antibiotics,” says Mike Lacy, PhD, professor and head of poultry science at the University of Georgia.
Source: Poultry Health Today, September 2, 2016.
According to the American Meat Institute, no meat — including meat from birds raised without antibiotics — is ever guaranteed to be free from antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which occur naturally in humans, animals, insects and even plants. However, any foodborne bacteria found on raw poultry and other meats are destroyed when the meat is cooked at the recommended temperature.
INSIGHTS: Animal health pros are the foundational stones when managing animal owner and public perception of how safely we bring food to the marketplace. We must stay informed and be ready to stand up for the researched and proven ways we manage the health and safety of animals and by extension humans.