Posted on 02/18/2006 9:25:40 AM PST by indcons
CHICAGO -- When a neighbor told Garmit Kaur that McDonald's had listed wheat -- a taboo for her two children with food allergies -- as an ingredient in its french fries, she flat-out didn't believe it.
"I was shocked when I checked the Web site this morning," said the mother from Elmhurst, Ill. "I thought, that cannot be right because I'm very careful ... and it wasn't there a couple months ago."
But there was no mistake. At the end of a long list -- including partially hydrogenated soybean oil and dextrose -- was the single offending line: "Contains wheat and milk ingredients."
To parents like Kaur, french fries had been one of the few "safe" items on fast-food menus. But this week, McDonald's acknowledged that a flavoring agent in the cooking oil used to make fries is derived from wheat and dairy ingredients, which are off-limits to those with food allergies.
Still, physicians say there is no need to set off alarm bells yet.
The disclosure doesn't automatically put McDonald's fries on the verboten list, according to Dr. Stefano Guandalini, a pediatric gastroenterologist with the University of Chicago's Celiac Disease Program. The disease, which affects 3 million Americans, interferes with the absorption of nutrients and is triggered by consumption of gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.
"When you process the ingredients such as wheat in order to derive flavoring, you leave the gluten behind," Guandalini explained, comparing it to vinegar, another product from grains that is neutralized by the distillation process. "We have never found any evidence that eating french fries is a problem."
The wheat and dairy disclosure, coming less than a week after McDonald's acknowledged its fries contain more trans fats than previously reported, was a consequence of a new labeling rule by the Food and Drug Administration that went into effect in January.
The measure requires the packaged-foods industry to report all common allergens, such as milk, eggs, wheat, fish, shellfish or peanuts. As a restaurant operator, McDonald's does not have to comply but is doing so voluntarily.
A manufacturer with a food product that is essentially gluten-free can apply for an exemption to resolve the confusion, according to Michelle Melin-Rogovin, executive director of the celiac disease program.
McDonald's says it is "committed to transparency" about its menu and the nutrition information it provides customers. "It's important to note that the oil, cooking process and ingredients in our french fries have not changed," said William Whitman, spokesman for the Oakbrook, Ill.-based company.
Still, some people weren't taking any chances. The news ricocheted around the food allergy community, lighting up Internet message boards and unleashing a flurry of calls from parents who already feel as if they're tip-toeing through a minefield when it comes to policing their kids' diets.
For some children, even a minute amount of an allergen can turn a birthday party, field trip or sleepover into an event freighted with anxiety.
"My e-mail first started going crazy Monday afternoon," said Sueson Vess of Wheaton, Ill., who runs a Web site for people who must follow a gluten- and dairy-free diet, specialeats.com. About six people contacted her Tuesday about a possible reaction after eating at McDonald's, she said.
"It's very confusing. ... Just when you think you have the most up-to-date information, things change. It's like trying to nail Jell-O to the wall."
It's not enough just to take the bun off the hamburger, she said, because the mere contact of wheat with the patty can be enough to cause some distressing symptoms, ranging from hives to wheezing to gastrointestinal complications.
Many consumers credited McDonald's with doing a better job than most fast-food outlets at keeping potential allergens at bay, citing steps such as using fryers solely for cooking fries rather than other foods, which could trigger a reaction.
"I'm just so disappointed," said MaryAnn Lukas, who has two daughters with celiac disease. "When they go out with friends, no matter what town they're in ... they can always go to the Golden Arches. Now what are they going to eat? The boxes? This leaves the hamburger, lettuce, tomato and some of the condiments."
Kaur, on the other hand, is taking a wait-and-see attitude.
"This is something my kids will have to deal with the rest of their lives," she said. "You can't react to everything. ... If you do, it will just make you crazy."
Great picture! 15¢ and 15 million sold - wow, that was a while ago!
You are quite correct. Here in the PDRC (People's Democratic Republic of California) we have Prop. 65. Prop. 65 requires business to show a warning at the door if the premises contain any of the naughty chemicals on the State's list of naughty chemicals. I've seen Prop. 65 warnings on businesses that couldn't possibly have any offending chemicals inside. I think that they posted the warnings just to preempt any attempts at a law suit.
If I owned a restaurant, I'd post a warning that no attempt has been made to cater to the needs of food allergy sufferers nor will any attempt to do so be made. If you eat in my place and you know you have allergies, you're talking your life into your own hands. And by the way, if you start convulsing and pitching a fit during dinner, you can be sure that my lawyer will be meeting you at the emergency room to sue your ass for disrupting my business.
disclaimer: I'm not saying all allergies are Meunchasens.
Now I'm hungry for deep-fried, breaded oysters. They don't have them any more around here, probably not enough people like them. I like the other stuff, too. It's breaded catfish that is so popular here.
What I wouldn't give for some of those Bodega Bay giant oysters. I bought some once and just breaded and fried them the regular way. You can mail order them, but they are very expensive.
I did a hard Chinese recipe following all the directions, bought all the special ingredients, oyster sauce and some Chinese booze, special noodles, other stuff. It took a long time to marinate, do everything like the cookbook said. It tasted great; most of my stir fry attempts have been blah. Way too much work if you don't do it regularly and have stuff on hand.
Your stuff sounds good, but I'm not big on chicken wings. Not enough meat on them. Meatballs sound good, too much work to get them ready but worth it. Now if you buy a couple slabs of back ribs, I'll be over :-).
I remember working as a caddy and busboy at a local country club, for exactly that rate, OP.
McDonald does a Double Cheeseburger Extra Value Meal, with a double cheeseburger, medium fries, and medium soft drink for $3. For an extra forty cents you can make it a large fry and large drink.
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