The World Health Organization calls the development of bacteria that can't be killed by some of our current medicines "one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today."
Fifteen of America's favorites received an "F" for their lack of action in reducing the use of beef raised with antibiotics, including Burger King, DQ, Jack In the Box, Pizza Hut, Olive Garden, Chili's, Sonic, Applebee's and the pizza chains of Domino's, Little Caesars and Pizza Hut.
Only Chipotle and Panera Bread, who were early leaders in using only antibiotic-free beef and chicken, received an "A."
This is the fifth year that six public interest groups have graded the 25 largest US fast food chains on where they stand on antibiotics. The report, called Chain Reaction V, focuses on antibiotic use in both poultry and beef food items.
Antibiotics are routinely given to animals to keep them healthy while they fatten up for slaughter. In fact, nearly two-thirds of the medically important antibiotics sold in the US go to food animals.
When antibiotics are overused, some bacteria learn to survive, multiply, and share their resistance genes with other bacteria even if those have not been exposed. Those so-called "superbugs" enter our system when we eat undercooked meat or veggies that have been exposed to irrigation water contaminated with animal waste.
And suddenly, antibiotics that once cured our infections no longer do their job.
Despite the severity of the problem, the US lacks appropriate laws to regulate overuse of antibiotics in our food chain. Thus advocacy groups have turned to some of the largest buyers of raw beef and chicken -- restaurants -- and asked them to use their purchasing power to force change.
Fewer antibiotics in chicken we eat
And it works. A huge success story over the past five years is the reduction of chicken raised with antibiotics in many of our favorite restaurants, said Lena Brook, director of food campaigns for the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the groups who sponsor the study. Others include Consumer Reports, the Milken Institute School for Public Health and the Center for Food Safety.
According to the report, 90% of the chickens raised last year received no medically important antibiotics. Compare that to 2014, when "nearly half of the nine billion broiler chickens produced in the US annually were raised on a full array of antibiotics, including medically important drugs," the report stated.
For consumers, that means antibiotic-free chicken is served in 13 of the 25 restaurants included in the study, including such heavy hitters as Chick-fil-A, KFC, McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's.
Four more restaurants are on their way to keeping their commitment to serve antibiotic-free chicken. However, eight restaurants still have no policy in place.
The early push by Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panera Bread, followed by Chick-fil-A, McDonald's and Subway, began a domino effect that encouraged major chicken supply companies to get on board, the report said.
"In spring of 2015 Purdue and then Tyson made a really big splash when they committed to limiting antibiotic use in their chicken suppliers and they're two of the five largest chicken companies in the country," Brook said. "So now we're looking for that kind of shift in the beef industry."
High use of antibiotics in beef
It's only the second year that the report has focused on beef, but some progress has been made. As in past years, the only two As were awarded to Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panera Bread.
The two chains have consistently stood above the rest by making sure that the beef, poultry and pork used in their foods are raised without antibiotics.
Despite their success with chicken, most of the top burger chains and restaurants, such as Burger King, DQ and Jack in the Box, failed to take any action to reduce the use of beef raised on antibiotics in their supply chains. Others didn't respond to the survey at all, just like last year.
Subway and McDonald's received a "C" for making a commitment to begin the process of using antibiotic-free beef in their food items.
Having a major player like McDonald's announcing they plan to create a comprehensive antibiotic use reduction policy is a "gamechanger," the report said.
"They're one of the largest beef buyers in the world," Brook said. "So if they do this right, they're going to have a critical impact not only in the United States, but in lots of places around the world in reforming antibiotic use practices."
McDonald's is in the pilot phase of their commitment, Brook said, with plans to announce reduction targets by the end of 2020. The promise to act jumped their score from an "F" to a "C."
Taco Bell, another big buyer of beef, said it would cut 25% of medically important antibiotics in their beef supply chain by 2025. That underwhelming commitment got them a "D" for minimal effort.
"We would love to see such a modest commitment be implemented faster," Brook said. "Six years feels like a long time to wait for a mere 25% reduction."
Wendy's received a "D+" for a confusing promise to act that didn't really accomplish much, Brook said.
"They're cutting one drug by 20% in less than a third of their beef supply. This is taking token steps to address the problem," Brook said. "We're really worried that Wendy's is greenwashing, or giving lip service to an environmental action so their company looks better.
"The fact remains other companies are figuring it out," she added. "So we know it's doable, and given the gravity of the threat posed by the antibiotic resistance crisis, there really is no excuse for inaction."
CNN reached out to all of the restaurants mentioned in the report. Subway said it had no comment at this time. Domino's Pizza sent a statement saying they believed in letting farmers and ranchers raise the animals, although "they do have a number of internal policies that we don't currently post publicly; nor do we engage in unsolicited surveys."
Panda Express told CNN they had added two menu items using antibiotic-free chicken and were working to add more such individual items to their menu.
Dine Brands, which owns Applebee's and IHOP, said that "in 2018 we made significant strides in reducing the routine use of medically important antibiotics in both poultry and pork and began work to address our beef supply in 2019 ... unfortunately, Chain Reaction's questionnaire timing precluded us from reporting this work."
In a statement supplied to CNN, Keith Kenny, global vice president of McDonald's Sustainability, said: "Through our latest commitment, we are proud to work with our beef supply chain around the world to accelerate the responsible use of antibiotics, while continuing to look after the health and welfare of the animals in our supply chain."
None of the other restaurants responded before the publication of this story.
If you live in the West, chances are you’re already familiar with Ghim Moh Market. It’s a veritable treasure trove of all things delicious, including chwee kueh, Hokkien mee and roasted meats.
But there’s one breakfast option that has come highly recommended by our GOLD 905 Makan Kaki, The Fabulous Baker Boy co-owner and chef Juwanda Hassim. He swears by the appam found at a stall called Heavens, which has garnered a steady following since it opened back in the '90s.
CNA Lifestyle kicks off a brand new Makan Kakis series with GOLD 905 DJ Denise Tan to find the yummiest local food in Singapore. This week: Absolutely divine appam with spicy tomato chutney from Heavens food stall.
For the uninitiated, appam is essentially a pancake made from a fermented rice flour batter that is delicately cooked on a hot griddle (appachatti) that looks like a mini-wok. This traditional Indian snack resembles little UFOs or sombrero hats and are both fun to eat and fun to watch being made.
Appam may look deceptively simple, but these require the right timing and lots of talent to make; something Heavens’ Madam Muthuletchmi Veerapan – or Madam Letchmi to regulars – and her son Suren have in spades as they showed us how to do it.
Heavens’ appam is very savoury with a slight tang, and it offers different textures. (Photo: Denise Tan)
First, the batter has to be of the right consistency, so that one deft splash into the pan coats the sides with a thin layer that crisps up beautifully, while the remaining batter collects at the rounded bottom and cooks to fluffy perfection. Flavour-wise, there is a hint of sweet, rich coconut milk that cuts through the delightful zing from the fermented dough.
The result is a light, tangy pancake that has lovely, paper-thin crisp edges and a pillowy centre that puffs up due to the fermentation at work.
GOLD 905 DJ Denise Tan with Heavens' Madam Letchmi and son Suren at Ghim Moh Market. (Photo: Denise Tan)
When paired with orange sugar and freshly grated coconut, you get a dish that is simple and comforting, yet complex in flavour.
Heavens’ appam (S$2 for two pieces) is very savoury with a slight tang, while also offering different textures to enjoy – from its lacy-crisp edges to the steamy-spongy centre that is perfect for dipping into the sugar and coconut, for an added sweet and fragrantly creamy layer of taste.
Heavens' special “Princess” appam has melted cheese, butter and a fried egg to top it off. (Photo: Denise Tan)
If you want a less traditional way of enjoying appam, there are more savoury options, such as cheese, egg and butter variants (S$2 per piece). Or you can have it all – the irresistibly decadent “Princess” appam (S$3 per piece) features melted cheese, butter and a fried egg to top it off – like a crown, hence the royal title.
Heavens’ curries are the perfect accompaniments to the appam and on our recent visit, we had eager regulars fighting to tell us what to order and why they love having breakfast there.
“It’s the best Appam you’ll find in Singapore,” one of them said.
“I come here all the way from Serangoon to eat here once a week!” another chimed in.
“You must have it with the dhal and the spicy tomato chutney! Taste and you’ll see why,” said a third.
We can confirm the dhal was light, flavourful and not too spicy, with generous chunks of potato along with the lentils. But the star, for us, was the chutney that had a robust flavour from the tomatoes, deepened with the richness of onions, dried red chillies and other spices. Taking it to another level was the char that came through, lending this sweet, savoury and spicy chutney a delightfully deep smokiness.
If you still have room after all that appam, their putu mayam (S$2 per two pieces), thosai (S$2 per two pieces) and thosai variations (S$2 to S$3 per piece) are popular, too. In fact, on the morning we visited, half of the customers ordered masala thosai (S$2.50 per piece).
Heavens certainly lives up to its name with food that tastes divine.
Catch Makan Kakis with Denise Tan every Thursday from 11am on GOLD 905. Heavens is located at 20 Ghim Moh Rd, #01-26, Singapore 270020. It’s open from Tuesday to Sunday, 6am to 1pm. Closed on Mondays.
Weather: Be prepared for showers. The high should reach the mid-60s.
Alternate-side parking: In effect until Friday (All Saints Day).
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Credit...Ellen Silverman for The New York Times
Like the city it inhabits, Peter Luger Steak House is not just a location but a way of being.
At Peter Luger, an “instinctive avoidance of anything fancy and an immensely attractive self-assurance came together to produce something that felt less like a restaurant than an affirmation of life, or at least life as it is lived in New York City,” Peter Wells, The Times’s restaurant critic, recently wrote.
In the 1990s, “a Peter Luger steak made me feel alive in a way that few other things did,” he continued.
But times have changed. In 2007, the steakhouse got a two-star review in The Times. Yesterday, Mr. Wells gave Peter Luger zero stars.
Loyalists may dismiss criticisms of the restaurant. Mr. Wells imagines them saying that “nobody goes to Luger for the wine, nobody goes to Luger for the salad, nobody goes to Luger for the service.” That list, he wrote, “goes on, and gets harder to swallow, until you start to wonder who really needs to go to Peter Luger, and start to think the answer is nobody.”
David Berson, the general manager of the restaurant, said in a statement, “The NY Times has reviewed Peter Luger numerous times over the years,” and “their whims have changed.”
The biting review put Peter Luger in the company of subjects of other memorable Times restaurant reviews, including these three:
Reviewed by Mr. Wells in 2015: “Fresh or frozen, the margaritas have a slight chemical taste that I was thankful for because it tended to keep my own alcohol intake to near-Mormon levels.”
One of Javelina’s calling cards, queso, “arrives lukewarm, which prevents trips to the emergency room. The cooler temperature offers the added benefit of allowing a latex-like film to congeal on top, which provides an interesting contrast in texture with the liquefied cheese below.”
Reviewed by Mr. Wells in 2012: “Guy Fieri, have you eaten at your new restaurant in Times Square? Have you pulled up one of the 500 seats at Guy’s American Kitchen & Bar and ordered a meal? Did you eat the food?”
“Why is one of the few things on your menu that can be eaten without fear or regret — a lunch-only sandwich of chopped soy-glazed pork with coleslaw and cucumbers — called a Roasted Pork Bahn Mi, when it resembles that item about as much as you resemble Emily Dickinson?”
Reviewed by Sam Sifton in 2010: “Nello, which opened in 1992, is an ecosystem that is almost incomprehensible to those not a part of it. The food is not very good. Yet the restaurant’s customer base is built of the richest and most coddled people in the city."
Guests “ate crisp artichokes offered as carciofi alla giudia. These tasted of shirt cardboard. They ate sawdusty chicken livers lashed with balsamic.”
“Only an arugula salad with fontina and pears could have been mistaken for something good to eat.”
The documentary “Mama Africa” screens at the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute in Manhattan. 6 p.m. [Free]
Carve a pumpkin for the Central Park Conservancy’s Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center in Manhattan. 4 p.m. [Free]
Heartbeat Opera’s climate benefit, “Hot Mama: Singing Gays Saving Gaia,” is a night of drag, opera and pastiche at Roulette in Brooklyn. 8 p.m. [$25]
— Julia Carmel
Coming up on Saturday: The day before the New York City Marathon, The Times’s Lindsay Crouse will talk with two runners who have transformed their sport: Lauren Fleshman, one of the most decorated collegiate distance runners ever, and the Olympian Alysia Montaño, who won a national title six months after childbirth. New York Today readers can save $5 on the ticket price ($10-$15) by entering the code RUN at checkout.
Events are subject to change, so double-check before heading out. For more events, see the going-out guides from The Times’s culture pages.
And finally: Origami shows the science of art
Janet Morrissey reports:
Math buffs and art fans, prepare to rub elbows.
“We believe that math and art are actually two sides of the same coin,” said Cindy Lawrence, the executive director of the National Museum of Mathematics in Manhattan.
The museum’s exhibition “Math Unfolded: An Exhibit of Mathematical Origami Art” shows how geometry, algorithms and formulas can create works of art — often a 3-D sculpture. The exhibit, in a back room on the museum’s first floor, features 66 pieces of origami art made by 24 artists from around the world. It runs through Jan. 5.
The display features wildlife sculptures, including a horse, jellyfish, squirrel, lobster and dragonfly, as well as masks, flowers and stars. The artists used carefully calculated folds, pleats and color to create the art.
Robert Lang has six pieces in the exhibit, including a giant dragonfly on top of a vine and a large insect crawling over rocks. Uyen Nguyen, an engineer turned artist, used origami designs to create skirts and a handbag. Instead of paper, she used vinyl, polyester, satin ribbon and cotton.
“It can fold down to be a very tiny purse or it can expand up to be a very large bag — all using the techniques of origami and folding,” Ms. Lawrence said.
It’s Wednesday — you’re almost there.
Metropolitan Diary: Banana peel
Dear Diary:
One spring day, my neighbor and I were walking past a red car parked at the corner of 80th Street and Second Avenue. As we passed, the window rolled down and out came a banana peel.
Without giving it a thought, I turned toward the driver.
“Really?” I said.
“What,” he said, clearly startled.
“You just threw a banana peel into my living room,” I said.
“It was my brother from another mother,” he said. “What do you want me to do?”
“Pick it up,” I said.
He opened the car door and stepped out. I saw that he was maybe 6-foot-3. He came around the car, bent down, picked up the peel and put it in the trash can.
“Thank you,” I said, and went off down Second Avenue.
— Arlene Diesenhouse
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