Animal Contraceptive and Antibiotics in Popular Fast Foods, Testing Reveals

Kids may unknowingly be consuming an animal contraceptive when they eat a chicken sandwich at Chick-fil-A. In a new report, Moms Across America found veterinary drugs and hormones in foods sold by the 10 most popular fast food restaurants in the U.S.

Editor’s note: This is the first in a four-part series covering Moms Across America’s testing results for the top U.S. fast food restaurants. Part 1 reports on antibiotics and hormones. Future reports will address pesticides, heavy metals and nutrition.

Kids may unknowingly be consuming an animal contraceptive when they eat a chicken sandwich at Chick-fil-A, according to a Moms Across America’s (MAA) report on veterinary drugs and hormones found in food served in the most popular U.S. fast food restaurants.

The nonprofit MAA this month released results from food samples tested for veterinary drugs, including antibiotics and hormones. Health Research Institute, a Fairfield, Iowa, nonprofit independent lab, conducted the testing.

The results showed that a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich contained nicarbazin, an antiparasitic that also functions as a bird contraceptive.

Sixty percent of samples from the U.S.’ top 10 fast food chains also contained the antibiotic monensin, which can cause severe harm in humans and remains unapproved for human use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Zen Honeycutt, MAA’s founder and executive director, called the results “shocking” and “disturbing,” especially because some fast food chains supply school lunches.