Posted on 05/23/2008 5:57:33 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
It is the methane footprint the whackos are worried about with cows. Of course, a $1 tax on each hamburger will fix that.
Lard is pork fat. McDonald’s use to use beef tallow (rendered beef fat). When they went to vegetable oils they injected beef flavor into the fries but claimed they were vegetarian. When certain people found out they were upset and McDonalds removed the beef flavor (why couldn’t they just say they weren’t vegetarian?). I think it’s the beef flavor you’re missing. (I am too!)
Removing the trans fats should only affect the self life of the oil. I don’t think it would change the taste of the fries.
The canola oil has a definite taste, to me, and an aftertaste.
It did. Now they taste like nothing. You can make them taste like ketchup, but that's the best you're going to get.
"There's s*** in the meat."
Agreed.
Dunkin' donuts has the same problem with adding sugar to their coffee.
One person puts in too little and the next one puts in so much it would give a tapeworm diabetes.
5 Guys has the best fries. They change the type of potatoes often so it is never the exact same experience.
Agreed!
I don’t think that I need to go there anymore. The rest of their menu already sucked but the fries were worth it.
Not anymore.
I must be another fascist then ! The nearest McD to me is about 25 minutes drive . Their fries are done in beef fat and go great with the McRibs.
Over here McDs served the MegaMac until earlier this year , when they stopped doing it after the Department of Health pressurised them , saying it was unhealthy and immoral etc .
To be honest McDs is not one of my favourites , but I eat it because the socialists and Government prodnoses keep telling me not to !
The canola oil has a definite taste, to me, and an aftertaste.Fats from different sources will taste different. But trans fats are not naturally occuring in any of these fats. In fact, trans fats only exist in small amounts in nature. They are a byproduct of partially hydrogenating plant oils. Partial hydrogenation is used to make liquid oils solid (i.e., Crisco) and increase the shelf life.
Everybody that's tried my fried clams has said they're the best. 1 qt. of fried clams goes for over thirty bucks now, but I can buy enough to make that qt. for less than half that.
Heat oil to 350 degrees
Drain 1 lb. of shucked soft shell clams of any seawater and bath in whole milk (or 1/2 & 1/2, even better)
Remove clams from milk and dredge in mixture of 2 parts white flour to 1 part fine corn flour.
Deep fry until just crusty when pinched (about 2 1/2 - 3 minutes)
Salt to taste, serve hot.
For the weak there are tartar sauce and ketchup, but fresh correctly fried clams require nothing but saly and an appetite.
saly , somehow= salt
Not exactly. Trans fats occur naturally in many of the foods we eat. Most meats and dairy will contain significant levels of trans fats. According to the FDA, the average American can consume 20-25% of their total trans fats from naturally occurring sources.
...one of the tenets of conservatism is that changes (even small ones) can have unintended consequences so we should we should be cautious when we change things to protect against these unintended consequences.
Banning trans-fats will do nothing to reduce the incidence of chronic heart disease. This issue is nothing but a calorie distraction because consumers are just going to replace trans fats with another fat thereby getting the same number of calories. The unintended consequences you suggest are, in reality, nonexistent -- other than emboldening those who want nothing more than to remove our personal freedoms in the name of false science.
Well, one of the unintended consequences of partially hydrogenating oils to increase their shelf life is trans fats - and they are very unhealthy. Worse than the animal fats they often replaced.
Less than 2% of the average American's diet is comprised of artificial trans fat. Conversely, 12-15% of the average American's diet is made up of saturated fat. Seeing as saturated fat will also increase LDL levels while making people fat(ter)I'm surprised you're not also calling for the banning of saturated fat.
Trans fats most certainly increase shelf life by stalling oxidation. With the use of trans fat free oils there can be no doubt that cooking oils will oxidize more rapidly thereby causing consumers to ingest more free radicals. That's the true unintended consequence of the food Nazi's actions. The increased consumption of free radicals should absolutely be of greater concern to us than what a small amount of trans fats may or may not do to us.
When it comes to trans fats, conservatives shouldn't be screaming about enviroweenies or food nazis....
You couldn't be more wrong. Any time the food police, and their willing accomplices in the MSM, try to separate us from our freedoms based on junk science conservatives should be standing athwart this nonsense, yelling stop!
Well its been a LONG time since they were using the good old Formula 47 beef fat.... they replaced that with the hydrogenated (trans fat) stuff back when everyone was bashing the Saturated Fats and was pushing the restaraunts to stop using them... So they replaced it with the trans fat/hydrogenated stuff... And the fries have never tasted as good since...they did keep a small amount of beef in the stuff for flavoring, but it isn’t nearly as good as the old stuff..
I’d say they did that about 1991ish.. fries have never tasted right since.
From the FDA: "A small amount of trans fat is found naturally, primarily in some animal-based foods."In fact, trans fats only exist in small amounts in nature.Not exactly. Trans fats occur naturally in many of the foods we eat. Most meats and dairy will contain significant levels of trans fats. According to the FDA, the average American can consume 20-25% of their total trans fats from naturally occurring sources.
Banning trans-fats will do nothing to reduce the incidence of chronic heart disease. This issue is nothing but a calorie distraction because consumers are just going to replace trans fats with another fat thereby getting the same number of calories.What do the number of calories have to do with it? Are 100 calories of granola as bad for your heart as 100 calories of saturated fat? I take about 100 calories of Omega-3 fatty acids a day. Is that bad for my heart?
The unintended consequences you suggest are, in reality, nonexistent -- other than emboldening those who want nothing more than to remove our personal freedoms in the name of false science.Considering you are wrong on trans fats, you are also wrong on the unintended consequences.
Less than 2% of the average American's diet is comprised of artificial trans fat.I would say that pretty significant.
Conversely, 12-15% of the average American's diet is made up of saturated fat. Seeing as saturated fat will also increase LDL levels while making people fat(ter)I'm surprised you're not also calling for the banning of saturated fat.People should reduce their intake of saturated fats - but they appear in significant amounts in nature and we've been eating them for millennia. These man-made trans fats are relatively new in our diets and are avoidable. [And I'm not supporting any ban - trans fats or and any other fats. I think people should be informed about the contents of their food and be free to make their own choice. I don't believe McDonald's was forced to get rid of trans fats by anything except public opinion.]
Trans fats most certainly increase shelf life by stalling oxidation. With the use of trans fat free oils there can be no doubt that cooking oils will oxidize more rapidly thereby causing consumers to ingest more free radicals. That's the true unintended consequence of the food Nazi's actions. The increased consumption of free radicals should absolutely be of greater concern to us than what a small amount of trans fats may or may not do to us.When oils oxidize they become rancid. I don't think McDonald's has any plans to use rancid oil. I don't plan to give my money to businesses that use rancid oils. It's not too much to ask that my food be prepared with un-oxidized and un-hydrogenated oil, is it?
That orange glop on the sandwich isn't really cheese. Whatever it is it is absolutely DISGUSTING.
Your FDA source shows that 21% of the trans fat we consume comes from animal products. What artificial trans fats are included in this percentage? Here is a link to a paper from a PhD also showing that we consume up to 25% of total trans fats from natural sources.
What do the number of calories have to do with it?
Do you consider being overweight a health issue? If we don't use trans fat we're going to use some other kind of fat. All fats offer 9 calories per gram so, yes, calories do play a considerable role in the debate.
The issue with fat and heart disease is cholesterol. Saturated fats raise LDL (bad cholesterol) but don't lower HDL (good cholesterol). Trans fats raise LDL and lower HDL. Trans fats are worse that saturated fats.
The evidence is pointing to the fact that artificial trans fat will raise LDL levels while lowering levels of HDL. The subject is still ongoing. However, with 12-15% of our total caloric intake coming from saturated fat it's pretty hard to say that trans fats are worse for us when they currently make up less than 2% of our total diet.
There are three major causes of coronary heart disease: Smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The first two have nothing to do with trans fat. For 85% of Americans suffering from the latter, their bodies, thanks to their genetics, will produce more cholesterol than they could ever control through diet. When they cut their intake of foods high in cholesterol their genes will tell the liver to make up the difference. For these folks, medication is likely the only effective method for controlling high cholesterol levels.
For the remaining 15%, diet and exercise could control the problem. Some will choose to control it and some won't. To penalize everyone else for their foolish behavior seems unfair to me. Besides, saturated fat causes the same issues as trans fats with increasing LDL cholesterol levels. I don't see anyone calling for banning butter, lard or saturated oils. Banning trans fats will do little to reduce CHD and high levels of cholesterol. It will give the nanny staters another victory in their quest to dictate our freedoms and that should scare people a lot more than anything caused by trans fats.
According to National Center for Health Statistics, over the last 20 years, while trans fat use has skyrocketed, heart disease in America has been declining rapidly -- while life expectancy has been up -- over that very same period. The linked statistics show that in the era of fast food and obesity, death rates from heart disease has declined from 492.7 per 100,000 in 1970 to 321.8 by 1990, a 33% drop. The spread of trans fat hasn't change that trend, with the death rate dropping nearly another 30%, to 232.2, by 2003. Doesn't sound like an epidemic to me. Maybe trans fat isn't the problem the nanny stater's and food police want you to believe it is.
Considering you are wrong on trans fats, you are also wrong on the unintended consequences.
Perhaps you could explain to me again where I was wrong on trans fats as well as where I missed the mark on unintended consequences?
I would say that pretty significant.
Obtaining less than 2% of our total calories from trans fat is pretty significant when compared to getting 12-15% of our calories from saturated fat? Ok.
These man-made trans fats are relatively new in our diets and are avoidable. [And I'm not supporting any ban - trans fats or and any other fats. I think people should be informed about the contents of their food and be free to make their own choice.
Relatively new? Hardly. I think people should be informed too. However, I think the information they receive should be based on sound science and kept in perspective. There are scary toxins in all sorts of foods we eat. Most people don't even understand the basic fact that it's the dosage that makes the poison. Even water can kill you if you consume too much of it. There is far too much fear mongering out there by people who don't understand enough about food and nutrition.
When oils oxidize they become rancid.
Fat in the presence of oxygen will give you free radicals. Free radicals develop under a zero order process -- once it starts it's self propelling. Once the free radicals start you cannot stop them. Oxygen is the first mover. Once oxygen is introduced, peroxides form across the double bonds (peroxides are highly unstable) and the bonds break down thereby creating ketone's, aldehyde's and acids. This is what gives you the odor and taste of rancidity. People need to be careful not to eat rancid fats because they contain a high level of free radicals.
If the fat is particularly unsaturated, it's open to immediate oxidation. Most fats contain anti-oxidants which forestall this process but will not prevent it.
I don't think McDonald's has any plans to use rancid oil.
No, but I can assure you, having been in the food industry providing products and services to companies like McDonald's that they are stretching their oils as far as they can possibly go to counter the skyrocketing cost of frying oil. There is no doubt that Americans will be consuming significantly more free radicals because of the push to remove trans fat from the industry. This will become even more pronounced in the home where people won't be aware of the problem until the oxidation process is far along.
This is the unintended consequences of do gooding. The food police and nanny staters (and their allies who don't understand food and nutrition) have made the food supply less healthy for us. These folks provide the motivation for my tag line.
I don't plan to give my money to businesses that use rancid oils.
Oh, you will. You just won't know it. Good luck avoiding it. The only way to manage that goal effectively is to eat at home all the time.
It's not too much to ask that my food be prepared with un-oxidized and un-hydrogenated oil, is it?
Again, unless you're managing how and when they change their oil, you're never going to avoid the issue. Sorry to be the one to break it to you but you brought these unintended consequences upon yourself by supporting the nonsense and junk science of the nanny staters.
Perhaps you could explain to me again where I was wrong on trans fats as well as where I missed the mark on unintended consequences?You said "Banning trans-fats will do nothing to reduce the incidence of chronic heart disease." Even if we replaced all trans fats with saturated fats (we wouldn't), we would still be better off. Trans fats are worse for your heart than saturated fats. If you aren't willing to admit that then the rest of your argument is pointless.
Oil for cooking French Fries will not normally reach the temperatures required for oil breakdown or fire. Never cook your French Fries in oil hotter than 380° Fahrenheit (190° Celsius). They’ll burn.
That said, pure beef suet makes fries taste like a rendering plant. The old McDonald’s shortening (”Formula 47”) was only 13% beef fat with 87% vegetable shortening.
Potatoes have a nasty tendency to pick up the flavours of everything in your fryer, which is why you have to use clean oil/shortening and never want to cook fries in the same oil as you did that fish or pile of onion rings you cooked last week. Unless you want your French Fries to taste like bird food or like the inside of a grease recycling barrel, nix the suet.
As for oil vs. shortening, the question doesn’t really affect the home French Fry chef. Both will usually go rancid before they have time to appreciably deteriorate. Restaurants use shortening about 90% of the time (according to our contact at Hunt Wesson Foods, oil division, restaurant section). This is because shortening can take a beating. Any oil you buy in the Grocery store is gonna be able to hold up to the heat of French Fry cooking, which is 335-365° Fahrenheit (160-185°C), depending on your method of cooking. But how long will it be good if you keep it that hot?
The average fast food restuarant cooks a few hundred pounds of French Fries each day, which is a little more than even yours truly cooks. They use 100 pounds of shortening (50 lbs. per fryer) which should be filtered every day and they add a few pounds as necessary to replenish what the fries absorb. After 4-7 days, the shortening is changed. The stuff is kept at 335 degrees Fahrenheit (168° Celsius) for the better part of 16-20 hours. Regular oils just won’t take that kind of abuse, unless they come in quart (liter) cans from your nearest service station. (Forget it: motor oil makes even worse French Fries than beef suet.)
You also might want to keep in mind that non-animal oils have no cholesterol and that animal fats and shortening are both saturated fats.
Our official recommendation would be either a pure vegetable shortening or vegetable oil. These have no flavours which would interfere with the delicate taste of French Fries. We note that many Greeks still use olive oil to cook French Fries (in a pan) which they season with oregano and salt. The Select Ware Labs, Culinary and Food Technology Division, tried this and concluded that it tastes pretty good.
From http://officialfrenchfries.com/docs/questions.html
Thanks for the info, as the guy who filtered that fry oil nightly, I can tell you, since they got rid of formula 47 McD’s fries taste like crap.
Also, McD’s used to cook their fries frozen, about the same time as they got rid of formula 47, they started to thaw the fries before cooking.
They said it was for taste, but for the added labor and BS that this created, I highly doubt it... I suspect that when they moved away from formula 47, the new oils could not take the high heats, or drastic temperature changes/water introduction as well as the old Formula 47 could when dropping a basket full of frozen fries into the grease.
All I know is, since McD’s moved away from Formula 47, their fries are worthless. They can claim up the wazoo they are just as good as ever, but they aren’t.
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