Antimicrobial resistance in United States retail ground beef with and without label claims regarding antibiotic use

What is it about?

Food-animal production accounts for about 77% of U. S. antibiotic use. Ground beef products with raised without antibiotics label claims are perceived to harbor lower antibiotic resistance levels than conventional products with no label claims regarding antibiotic use. Across six U. S. cities, 299 raised without antibiotics and 300 conventional ground beef samples were obtained at retail stores. Each sample was examined for 15 antibiotic resistances. Three antibiotic resistance levels were higher in conventional ground beef while 4 antibiotic resistance levels were higher in raised without antibiotics ground beef. These results indicate that antibiotic use during U. S. cattle production does not increase human exposure to antibiotic resistance via ground beef.

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