OAK BROOK, Ill., June 19 (UPI) -- McDonald's Corp. Thursday called on its suppliers worldwide to phase out the use of of animal growth promotion antibiotics.
The Global Policy on Antibiotics also creates a set of standards for McDonald's direct meat suppliers and encourages indirect suppliers to take similar steps to eliminate growth-promoting antibiotics and reduce other antibiotic usage.
Frank Muschetto, senior vice president of worldwide supply management at McDonalds said, "As a company committed to social responsibility, we take seriously our obligation to understand the emerging science of antibiotic resistance, and to work with our suppliers to foster real, tangible changes in our own supply community, and hopefully beyond.
McDonalds is asking producers that supply more than 2.5 billion pounds of chicken, beef and pork annually "to take actions that will ultimately help protect public health."
Research indicates overuse of antibiotics is helping to create supergerms resistant to treatment.
