The bugle has sounded...

McDonald's French Fries: "Natural Flavoring" my @$$


McDonald's has chosen to insult the intelligence of vegetarians in America by stating that "natural flavoring" is an accurate description for the beef or pork flavoring used in their french fries.

What's worse, McDonald's accepted accolades when they switched to Vegetable Oil over 10 years ago.  The praise McDonald's received in the media may have deceived thousands of vegetarians into thinking that their french fries were not made with animal products of any kind.  Only now is the situation being clarified for the general public.

Putting "natural flavoring" on your food descriptions is not enough to warn vegetarians off.  McDonald's should've taken steps to be more open with those who choose not eat meat products.

It is reasonable to assume that McDonald's is aware that there are very few items on their menu that are accessible to vegetarians.  Why take away french fries from this already-limited selection?

It seems to me that McDonald's is not even remotely interested in catering to those who choose a meat-free diet.   Because of this, I for one am no longer interested in supporting McDonald's.

Sorry ... McSalad Shakers are not enough.

-- Tony DeCarvalho
May 28th, 2002

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The following is a statement from McDonald's concerning their French Fries:

McDonald's USA French Fry Facts

It has always been McDonald's practice to share nutrition and ingredient information with our customers, including facts about our French fries. In the U.S., we consistently communicate this information through in-store posters, wallet-sized cards and various brochures, which offer a wide variety of dietary details.

McDonald's USA is always sensitive to customer concerns. Because it is our policy to communicate to customers, we regret if customers felt that the information we provided was not complete enough to meet their needs. If there was confusion, we apologize.

Meanwhile, here are the details of our French fry production in the U.S. A small amount of beef flavoring is added during potato processing - at the plant. After the potatoes are washed and steam-peeled, they are cut, blanched, dried, par-fried, and frozen. It is during the par-frying process at the plant that the natural flavoring is used. These fries are then shipped to our U.S. restaurants. Our French fries are cooked in vegetable oil at our restaurants.

McDonald's 1990 switch to vegetable oil in the U.S. as our standard cooking oil was made for nutritional reasons, to offer customers a cholesterol-free menu item. This nutrition announcement received national media coverage, widely broadcasting the facts about our switch and why we made it.

As a local business in 121 countries, our French fry process varies country-by-country to account for cultural or religious dietary considerations. For example, in predominantly Muslim countries -- as in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa -- McDonald's strictly conforms to Halal standards. This means no use of beef or pork flavorings or ingredients in our French fries. In India, where vegetarian concerns are paramount, no beef or pork flavorings are used in our vegetarian menu items.

Our "McDonald's Nutrition Facts" brochure uses the term "natural flavor" in the ingredient list for French fries. This description is in full compliance with and permitted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).