How to decode labels on commercial meat packaging to identify whether the animals were raised without antibiotics 100% of the time.
Reading food labels is a bewildering experience for the majority of consumers. This confusion is purposely engineered in some cases to keep consumers guessing and product sales flowing.
MSG, for example, hides behind over 50 different labeling names.
Overwhelmed consumers are often deceived into buying products loaded with MSG that they would never buy if labels were clear and required full disclosure.
This very effective cat-and-mouse game is also played with other neurotoxins like aspartame (NutraSweet), sucralose (Splenda), and other artificial sweeteners consumers actively attempt to avoid.
These fake sugars are frequently hidden in sports drinks and other “low carb” fare too under the overly broad “natural” or “artificial” flavorings labels.
To avoid undesirable additives such as carrageenan and gassed meats, consumers must battle an ever-changing landscape of labeling gamesmanship played by food manufacturers, sadly aided and abetted by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) itself.
Second-Hand Antibiotic Exposure
Neurotoxins aren’t the only chemicals consumers are trying to avoid in their food.
An ever-growing segment of the consumer market is seeking meat from animals raised without antibiotics due to concern over the rapid rise of superbugs like MRSA and the ever-plummeting age in which young girls are experiencing the onset of puberty. (2)
Both of these conditions are linked to low-dose antibiotics in animal feed.
A shocking 70% of all antibiotics in the United States every year are purchased by agribusiness for otherwise healthy livestock!
Antibiotics in Animal Feed
In Denmark, a ban on the use of antibiotics in animal feed drastically reduced antibiotic-resistant infections in people.
“The Danish Experiment” is a source of pride for the country’s thousands of farmers.
It provides strong evidence that low-dose antibiotics given to animals via feed can have health consequences for humans. (3)
Low-dose antibiotics fed to livestock via feed cause them to mature more quickly.
This may be one cause of early development in girls who consume meat and dairy produced from such animals. (4)
Reading Meat Labels is Tricky
Consumers concerned about the problems described above are changing their buying habits to avoid meat and milk from animals subjected to the daily insult of antibiotics in their feed. (5)
Unfortunately, they have their work cut out for them.
As with other undesirables like MSG and aspartame, antibiotics can hide behind confusing labeling nuances.
Not Fed Antibiotics
According to the USDA, a product labeled “Not Fed Antibiotics” or “No Subtherapeutic Antibiotics Used” may actually still come from an animal that was given antibiotics for illness or injury. (6)
An FDA antibiotic withdrawal period prior to “harvest” (slaughter) to reduce (but not necessarily eliminate) antibiotic residue in the meat must be observed for either of these labels to be used.
No Detectable Antibiotic Residue
Even more vague are meats with the label “No Detectable Antibiotic Residue“. (7)
Products with this label mean that “a statistical sampling analysis using a science-based protocol” was unable to detect any antibiotic residue.
In other words, the animals could have been eating antibiotic-laced feed for the entire production phase but the farmer simply followed the prescribed FDA withdrawal phase before slaughter.
If subsequent “science-based” tests failed to find antibiotic residue, the label is permitted.
No Antibiotics Used or Raised Without Antibiotics
The best labels for consumers seeking antibiotic-free meats at the store are “No Antibiotics Used” or “Raised Without Antibiotics“. (8)
These labels mean that the animal was raised from birth to slaughter with no antibiotics used at any time.
Antibiotic-Free
Interestingly, the USDA prohibits the label “Antibiotic Free”.
Thus, if you buy commercial meat, look for “No Antibiotics Used” or “Raised Without Antibiotics”.
Either of these labels is the best indication of a clean product.
How to Source 100% Antibiotic-Free Meats
For consumers who don’t want to play labeling games or keep up with regulations, buying from a local farm is best.
This way, you can familiarize yourself with how the animals are raised and observe production procedures.
I personally feel more comfortable trusting an actual person I’ve had a conversation with about how the animals are treated in both illness and health than a label that plays semantics games designed to deceive.
(1) A special thanks to Stanley Fishman, author of Tender Grassfed Meat and Tender Grassfed Barbecue. Stanley helped me track down the USDA references for this article!
(2, 4) Effects of Environmental Endocrine Disruptors on Pubertal Development
(3) Denmark’s Case for Antibiotic-Free Animals
(5) Renewed Call to Get Antibiotics Out of Food
(6-8) USDA Federal Register, Vol. 67, No. 250
What an interesting clarification. I am going to be reading descriptions carefully in the future!
What a very helpful article…I know many people will find this invaluable. Thank you for sharing it with Two for Tuesdays this week =)
I love your blog, and I think the farmer discussion suggestion is a good one, too! I'm a city girl but I now love talking to farmers. They really seem to appreciate an awareness and appreciation of sustainable practices, small farm struggles, related nutrition, etc. I think it's really important to make individual connections with those who raise our food — on the phone, in person, at farmer's markets, wherever — and encourage good practices. I love learning from them as well as piquing their interest in the benefits of pastured food, cholesterol, CLA, Nourishing Traditions, etc. I often bring them tidbits from the WAPF website and elsewhere. Just this week, I think I may have convinced a local grassfed farmer to get off statins — he seems so grateful for the info and new knowledge.
Here's one more thing that it might be helpful to blog about — the use of soy in animal feed. It's a recurring thing I hear when talking to farmers. It's the default protein in most chicken and pig feed, cheap and subsidized, but I understand it adversely affects meat and eggs, and then us. Plus it's darn near impossible to know if it's GMO-free. If customers ask, with a genuine smile and some gentle persuasion, then it might help the situation.
Beth
You know, that is a really excellent suggestion. I have visited so many farms, you kind of get the groove of it after awhile. No list of questions can make up for just getting the right "feel" about a place and a good, trusting relationship with your farmer so that you believe what they tell you – not to mention the flavor and taste of their product is excellent when things are done right at the farm.
Hi Sarah,
This might sound like a stupid question, but how do you talk to the farmers? How do you know what to ask and what to look for? Do you visit their farms personally? Maybe you could do a "meet your farmer post" giving us a glimpse of the important points to look out for.
:o)
Hi Linda,
Low dose antibiotics have been used for decades by agribusiness as it promotes faster growth in animals. Antibiotic residue in animal meat and milk may do the same in children. Here's an article about it:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-06-29-antibiotics29_ST_N.htm
We buy our chicken from Horizon Foods. It comes from a farm in PA and they do not use any antibiotics or hormones AT ALL. I do not buy beef since 2 of my family members do not tolerate it well.
How is it that the antibiotics are the reason for girls developing earlier and not the growth hormones?
I hope this actually posts. Sarah, I got your reply about my problems posting. I apologize for not responding back to you yet.
Linda
It looks to me like the 'norm' for agribusiness is to treat animals like machines. I find the whole industry rather sickening. It seems that our federal 'consumer' agencies really are the best that money can buy.
Looks good to me. Thanks for spelling this out, I have has some questions about this myself.
My blog software editor is giving me fits today .. Google made some changes yesterday and there are some spacing bugs. I've done my best to make this post legible. Thanks for your patience!