The Wall Street Journal reports that Perdue Farms Inc. will eliminate antibiotics used in chicken it sells as nuggets and strips in supermarkets across the country. The company expects the change to triple the no-antibiotic portion of such precooked and seasoned products at U.S. supermarkets. Converting Perdue’s name-brand lines of chicken products will make it the largest grocery-store supplier of poultry raised without antibiotics, according to the company.

Farmers and ranchers have administered antibiotic drugs for decades to treat illnesses, fight disease and speed weight gain. Public-health officials and consumer groups contend this increases the development of other bacteria that antibiotics cannot kill. Perdue, which supplies poultry to restaurants, food-service operations and retailers, stopped using antibiotics to help chickens gain weight in 2007.

Similarly, a number of other chicken producers have plans to curb antibiotic use. Restaurant chains including McDonald’s Corp., Chick-fil-A Inc. and Subway have said they would reduce or eliminate antibiotic use by their suppliers. The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) notes that starting March 1, Subway will add antibiotic-free chicken to its menu. Subway will offer rotisserie-style chicken raised without antibiotics, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, following the brand’s transition to only serve proteins raised without antibiotics. The company pledged last year to selling all antibiotic-free protein, including beef and pork, within a decade.

Perdue has reduced its reliance on antibiotics by using more probiotics (bacteria that fights pathogens) and by changing birds’ diets, according to the company. Tyson Foods Inc., the largest U.S. meatpacker by sales, last year announced plans to largely eliminate antibiotics used in humans from its chicken supplies, as did Foster Farms, another major producer. Tyson will explore making similar changes in its hog, cattle and turkey operations. Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., the second-largest U.S. chicken processor, has projected that by 2019 one-quarter of its chicken would be raised without antibiotics.

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