Hala Asaad

9A

Faris Amarneh

2/20/2018

Unit 3 Summative Assessment

Do you run the risk of consuming deadly pathogens with your next fast-food meal? Since

the 1980s large meat packing industries such as Cargill, ConAgra, and IBP according to

(Schlosser, Eric). were granted a monopoly over animal products. This domination over these

commodities have drastically changed the methods in which animals, most notably cattle were

brought up, slaughtered, and processed. These changes have transformed the meat packing

industry into a standardized job with untrained workers performing their daunting tasks in terrible

conditions riddled with injuries and disease according to the author Eric Schlosser in his notable

work Fast Food Nation. As a direct result of these conditions it isn’t a surprise that fast-food

menu items from various chains are contaminated with potentially deadly pathogens and as a

result of the industry’s practices. This can be observed from the conditions seen in the meat-

packing industry in addition to widespread outbreaks of pathogens such as e-coli and high

antibiotic use. Some may argue that fast-food industries have taken steps to reduce antibiotic

use and improve meat quality, but at what cost?

To begin with, the source of the fast-food industry’s animal product derives from

prominent meat-packing industries including most notably IBP, ConAgra, and Cargill. However

workers in the industry are faced with the dismaying task of processing the meat with dangerous

tools resulting in a colossal amounts of injuries that go unrecorded. Deadly practices such as

these inexplicably lead to cross contamination and the introduction of Pathogens into meat

products that end up being sold from menu item’s. To further inflame the already dire situation

pro-industry lobbyists easily thwart opposition rendering the government unable to efficiently

recall staggering amount of potentially contaminated meat according to Eric Schlosser.

 Furthermore, a wide variety of fast-food chains have been criticized for high antibiotic

use in their products. This is further reinforced considering various fast-food chains received

poor letter grades from various health organizations and inspections. The evidence to prove this

includes franchises such as Dominos recieving an F, McDonald’s receiving a C+, and Dunkin

Donuts earning a D according to ("The Fast Food Chain That's Serving You More Antibiotics Than

Food"). Moreover, the antibiotics introduced to the industry’s animal’s for the sole purpose of

weight gain have rendered forms of bacteria resistant. This in the poorly maintained facilities

could potential have bacteria spread like wildfire amongst the animals and into the menu items.

("The Fast Food Chain That's Serving You More Antibiotics Than Food")

Nevertheless, some may argue that fast-food restaurants have been making strides to

minimize antibiotic use in the meat-packing and assembling process in an attempt to regain the

faith of consumers and further abide by health regulations. However, according to ("More Chain

Restaurants Move To Limit Antibiotics In Meat Production") heavy antibiotic use persists to raise the

suspicions of nearly two-thirds of people surveyed according to a 2016 CR nationally

representative survey consisting of more than 1,000 people. To further add nearly 70% of

antibiotics in the U.S are sold on animals as stated in "More Chain Restaurants Move To Limit

Antibiotics In Meat Production." Consumer Reports, 2018 further showing how many question the

legitimacy of the industry and its claims. These antibiotics are meant to catalyze weight gain

with potentially dire consequences included bacteria resistance in which previously effective

antibiotics will have no effect on strands of bacteria and viruses including the strand of E. coli

that was the main cause of a widespread outbreak in Chipotle with cases in the dozens. Overall

this comes to show that fast-food chains haven’t come far in minimizing antibiotic use in their

products and drastic changes must be made to reduce the risk of pathogen presence in their

products that have previously resulted in outbreaks similar to those observed at Chipotle.

In conclusion, the deadly practices occurring in the meat packing process has

consequently generate tons of contaminated meat that can easily go unnoticed in addition to
heavy antibiotic use which could spread uncontrollably in the poorly maintained facilities and

strengthen bacterial resistance and the poor grades received amongst fast-food chains.

Therefore, it can safely be said that the products of the fast-food industry run a high risk of

containing potentially deadly pathogens as an outcome of poor sanitary practices with heavy

antibiotic use. Finally, this portrays the negative effect of globalization with these methods being

performed on a world-wide scale that may not be sustainable in the near future in regards to

health.

Works Cited

"More Chain Restaurants Move To Limit Antibiotics In Meat Production." Consumer Reports, 2018,

https://www.consumerreports.org/overuse-of-antibiotics/more-fast-food-chains-have-no-antibiotic-meat-

on-the-menu/.

Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation. Boston, Mariner Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012,.

"The Fast Food Chain That's Serving You More Antibiotics Than Food." Eat This Not That, 2018,

http://www.eatthis.com/best-worst-fast-food-chains-using-antibiotics/.