Posted on 06/12/2014 7:06:21 PM PDT by rickmichaels
Gatineau parents have launched a petition to find out what was in the McDonald's chocolate milkshake that allegedly caused their son's mouth to burn last summer.
Jon Hansen told CBC News that his family rejected settlement offers worth thousands of dollars from McDonald's Canada in favour of a lab report on the contents of the milkshake. He's concerned there might have been something in the milkshake that could cause long-term complications for his six-year-old son.
"Who cares about the money. We want the report. At the end of the day, that's what its all about," he said.
"Even if we get money and everything, what happens if this happens again in the future and we knew about this? How can we live with ourselves?
Pierce Hansen, then 5, described a burning sensation in his mouth after drinking a milkshake from a Buckingham McDonald's on July 22, 2013.
"My tummy was hurted," he said.
His mother Jennifer Cameron said she tried the drink, as well.
"It was like having wasabi. It was so strong going through my face," Cameron said. "My mouth was burning and I knew there was something wrong with it."
McDonald's spokesperson Jason Patuano said the company conducted an investigation through an independent third-party lab. The results were inconclusive, but Hansen said McDonald's admitted to the family's lawyer that "a small amount of store-related compound" was found in the milkshake.
On June 11, McDonald's Canada issued the following statement:
"At McDonald's Canada, food quality and safety is our top priority and we have strict food safety policies and procedures in place to ensure our customers receive the highest quality products when they visit our restaurants.
From the outset, McDonald’s has been in regular contact with the family since the alleged incident. We appreciate the parents’ desire to know what their child may have ingested and regret it has taken so long to address this situation.
Upon learning of this situation, we immediately began a thorough investigation and as is our usual process, engaged an independent third-party laboratory to test the contents of the milkshake which were purchased through a drive-thru. Unfortunately, the lab was unable to determine the source however was able to confirm that there were no cleaning solutions contained in the child’s milkshake as was originally alleged. We also confirmed that a total of 63 milkshakes were sold in the restaurant that day without any other complaints being reported.
These results were shared with the family last August and we have tried unsuccessfully since then to work with the family to reach an equitable resolution."
You need a plaster on the back of your neck to suck a McDonald’s chocolate milkshake threw a straw , horrible stuff
Usually I am suspicious of accusers in this situation but this time it sounds like it’s the business at fault. What is “small amount of store related compound”??
McD’s chocolate shakes taste like concrete mix with too much sand.
Guess he didn’t get the Happy Meal.
A total of 63 other milkshakes were sold and there were no other complaints?
Something sounds very odd, here.
What did they do, serve it too hot without securing the lid first?
99.9% of the time all that is ever used to clean a McD shake machine is mild detergent solution followed by a sanitizer solution and overnight air drying. It would be a rare event to use a milkstone remover and I don’t recall having to use that product in at least the last ten years I managed. Milkstone builds up when machines aren’t cleaned. And I will have to go with exDemMom who noted that 63 other shakes were sold with no problems.
Which chemical would be more consistent with the description the boy gave?
Could they have used milkstone remover when they shouldn’t have?
Must have been some cleaning agent.
I find it hard to believe that it was any chemical, if 63 other shakes were sold and no one else had a problem? The inside of the freezing chamber has a beater assembly with scraping blades, the entire contents are blended together. if was the syrup tank, again that is cleaned soap and water and sanitizer, if there was any sanitizer left in the lines, which would be really really weird because you have to calibrate the syrup, the shake would be watery and the wrong color. I would really need to know if the kid got the very first chocolate shake drawn.
To answer your question about chemicals an acid would more likely burn, the sanitizer used was relatively mild and might give ya the runs.
“My tummy was hurted,” he said.
I’ve had a total of six, five year olds and not one of them talked that way.
I worked in fast food for nearly a decade as a worker and as a manager, and I cleaned and sanitized the shake machine nearly every night I worked (meaning it was always cleaned and I was the one who did it most often). We never used an acid cleaner and I have never heard of milkstone or milkstone remover.
I agree the story sounds weird and I can’t fathom how it could ruin one shake but not the other 60-odd. Maybe something in the cup?
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