Hungry Jack’s has become the first major Australian fast food chain to eliminate added hormones from its beef patties.
Added hormones, or Hormone Growth Promotants (HGPs), were introduced in Australia approximately 30 years ago. However they are strictly banned in many regions around the world, including the European Union and China. Around 40 per cent of cattle in Australia are raised with HGPs.
Hungry Jack’s Chief Marketing Officer, Scott Baird said customers had been very receptive to the move to No Added Hormone beef and the introduction of the Better Beef guarantee, which took effect across the company’s network of more than 400 restaurants on Tuesday, 16 February.
“Our commitment to move away from caged-eggs by the end of 2017 has been just as positive and celebrated by customers and industry alike,” Baird said.
As the Huffington Post points out, the effects on the human body of eaten HGPs have yet to be established due to insufficient data. And that very lack of information has created caution amongst many consumers.
Cattle Council of Australia president Jed Matz told the Weekly Times, consumers would not be able to tell the difference between beef containing HGPs and beef without it.