The development comes days after non-profit CSE revealed their indifference towards controling antibiotic use in India
Days after a study by non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) exposed the double standards of fast food multinationals on antibiotic use in India and abroad, Jubiliant FoodWorks has released its policy on the issue. Jubilant FoodWorks Limited manages Domino’s Pizza and Dunkin’ Donuts in India. The policy on “Usage of Antibiotics in Poultry Birds’ Health Management” focuses on eliminating antibiotic misuse in their chicken supply chain in a phased manner.
“We are delighted to know that Jubiliant has promptly come forward and committed to stopping antibiotic misuse in chicken. We encourage other fast food multinationals to follow suit and show that they care about the Indian consumer and are keen to no longer contribute to rising antibiotic resistance,” said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general, CSE.
Earlier this week, CSE had released its report “Double Standards”, which revealed that fast food multinational companies do not have any India-specific commitments to eliminate misuse of antibiotics in their meat supply chains. In contrast, these global giants have made ambitious, specific and time-bound commitments in the US and other countries to eliminate antibiotic misuse, owing to growing pressure from regulators and other stakeholders.
Addressing the concerns raised by CSE, the policy by Jubiliant FoodWorks aims to eliminate non-therapeutic use of antibiotics—as growth promoter and for disease prevention—by 2018 as well as use of highest priority critically important antimicrobials (defined by the World Health Organization) by 2019.
“This commitment by a fast food major shows that stopping antibiotic misuse is not difficult. It is very much achievable in a short span of time, particularly by big multinationals as they know how to do it from their experience in other countries,” said Amit Khurana, senior programme manager, Food Safety and Toxins unit, CSE.
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