New! FoodID's Kevin Lo in Science Magazine – “Raised without Antibiotics” Label Claims Lack Integrity

Consumer Reports: ‘No-Antibiotic’ Claims on Beef May Not Be Reliable, Study Finds

, , , April 8, 2022

When you see the claim “Raised Without Antibiotics” on a package of beef, you expect just that—the cattle weren’t given antibiotics. But a study out Thursday in the journal Science suggests that may not always be the case.

The USDA doesn’t do its own inspections that the animals were, in fact, not given antibiotics, says James E. Rogers, PhD, director of food safety and testing at CR. “The program runs on the honor system,” …The lack of independent verification is the reason stand-alone “no antibiotics” claims received a Poor rating in CR’s Food Label Guide to Seals and Claims.

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