Subway Goes With Antibiotic-Free Meat

29-Feb-2016 - USA

Fast food chain Subway, which has pledged to only serve animal proteins raised without antibiotics, said it will add a new chicken sandwich to its menu from tomorrow that features antibiotic-free meat.

Beginning March 1, Subway will offer at its U.S. restaurants the choice of its new rotisserie-style chicken sandwich, made without antibiotics, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. The new rotisserie-style chicken sandwich is made with tender, all white meat chicken raised without antibiotics, and is hand-pulled in restaurant.  

Subway noted that beginning April 1, the all-white meat Chicken Strips available at Subway nationwide will be free of artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and raised without antibiotics. Subway Global Dietitian Lanette Kovachi said that the company will work with its suppliers to increase the number of items on its menu that are raised without antibiotics.  

The new menu enhancement is the latest step in Subway's move to offer healthier options as well as better meet the changing preferences and expectations of its customers. Subway added that it is making progress on other menu and ingredient improvements announced over the past year, including the decision to remove all artificial colors, flavors and preservatives from North American menu items.  

In 2015, Subway said it is committed to only serving chicken raised without antibiotics important to human medicine. In October 2015, the company confirmed that it has started the transition to serving only protein from animals that have never received antibiotics across all of its more than 27,000 U.S. restaurants in early 2016.  

Subway has also said that turkey raised without antibiotics will be introduced in 2016, with a completed transition expected within 2 to 3 years, while pork and beef raised without antibiotics will follow within six years after that.

In December 2015, Subway said it plans to serve only eggs from cage-free layer hens across its 30,000 North American locations by 2025.  

Food companies are under pressure from animal protection groups such as the Humane Society of the United States to adopt better animal welfare practices.

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