Similar antibiotic resistance in ground beef with and without a raised without antibiotics claim

What is it about?

Meat products, including ground beef, are thought to be routes of transmission for antibiotic resistance from animals to humans. Ground beef products produced from cattle "raised without antibiotics" (RWA) are perceived as harboring lower levels of antibiotic resistance than "conventional" (CONV) products which may contain meat from animals that received antibiotics. However, no study has examined antibiotic resistance levels in United States (U.S.) ground beef since a small study published in 2004. This study found that the microbial flora and antibiotic resistance levels of CONV and RWA ground beef were similar. These results demonstrate that RWA ground beef does not deliver its major perceived benefit, lower levels of antibiotic resistance than CONV ground beef. These results were consistent with prior research demonstrating that the long-term antibiotic resistance impacts of antibiotic use during U.S. beef cattle production are minimal and indicate a need for reevaluation of the claims of the detrimental impact of antibiotic uses during U.S. beef cattle production on human health via ground beef.

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Why is it important?

Contradicts the belief that antibiotic resistance levels are lower in ground beef with raised without antibiotics claims