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Mcdonald's French Fries

ShortStuff2309

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ShortStuff2309 Apprentice
ShortStuff2309
Posted

I was wondering why I always feel as though I've been glutened after eating McDonald's french fries. It took some digging, but I found out why. McDonald's lists their french fries as being gluten free. However, they are not gluten free if you look at their ingredients.

Ingredients

Small French Fries

Potatoes, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, natural flavor (beef, wheat and dairy sources), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (to preserve natural color). Cooked in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (may contain partially hydrogenated soybean oil and/or partially hydrogenated corn oil and/or partially hydrogenated canola oil and/or cottonseed oil and/or sunflower oil and/or corn oil). Contains derivatives of wheat and dairy.

Allergens and Sensitivities

Allergens

Does not contain any of the top 8 food allergens.

Food Sensitivities

Does not contain gluten or MSG.

Found at:

Open Original Shared Link

Am I just seeing things or is McDonald's trying to dupe us? And what do we do about this?

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CarlaB Enthusiast
CarlaB
Posted

There are actually several threads on this ...

McDonalds disclosed their ingredients, the whole celiac community was up in arms over it even though the disclosure was voluntary, then McDonald's tested their fries and they ARE gluten-free. One of the flavorings some where along the line has wheat, but somehow there is no gluten in it (I can't remember the explanation for it).

What you probably get is contamination. I don't eat at fast food places for that reason.

blueeyedmanda Community Regular
blueeyedmanda
Posted

As easy as it is to pick up fast food dinners, I steer clear of the Mcdonalds fries...I just don't trust them. I had found that when I quit eating all the greasy fast food I felt better and saved money.

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

Through the processing, they claim that all gluten is removed, but they list for liability issues. Some here partake with non issues, others have issues and some just plain refuse. In my opinion, it's trial and error.

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

There have been many, many threads about McDonald's fries. Here is an article about it. https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodi...-01106423369.76

I also suggest doing a search on this board and reading some of the discussions ... here is one of them: https://www.celiac.com/index.php?s...mp;hl=mcdonalds

The GIG has worked with McDonald's to test them and they are safe in terms of being gluten free.

If you are having a gluten reaction, it is probably due to cross contamination. Many of us cannot eat there because of the risk. Eating out is inherently risky.

Take care,

Laura

kbabe1968 Enthusiast
kbabe1968
Posted

:( they made me sick yesterday BWAAAAAAH BWAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Oh well. I'll figure SOMETHING out...gotta have my fries!!!!

swittenauer Enthusiast
swittenauer
Posted

So are the fries gluten free or not? Also, my husband always gets a 1/4 pounder with cheese & no bun & has had no problems. I read that it is gluten free. Anyone have info?

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mamatide Enthusiast
mamatide
Posted
So are the fries gluten free or not? Also, my husband always gets a 1/4 pounder with cheese & no bun & has had no problems. I read that it is gluten free. Anyone have info?

My daughter eats them and she's extremely sensitive. I checked the ingredients (no wheat/gluten) and confirmed with my two local McDonalds' restaurants that they ONLY fry fries in the fry-fryer, never anything else.

The first time she had them she had a sore belly but no gluten symptoms. We finally realized it was the grease (she hadn't had McDonald's fries for over eight months).

We're in Canada. Maybe it's different here?

The ingredients listing is on the website in pdf format. All ingredients in every single thing.

Electra Enthusiast
Electra
Posted

I can eat McDonald's fries and never feel any effects, and so far it seems as though I am very sensitive. Our local McD's restaurants don't fry anything in the same grease that they fry the french fries in, so they are safe for us. I do know that I have gone to some NON local McD's restaurants and seemed to have a reaction so it probably depends on the way the McD's itself functions. Good Luck and I hope you are able to locate one that has fries that don't make you sick!!

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

swittenauer,

about the fries, i believe the best answer is above (see my above post, esp the bolded part.)

about the meat/cheese: I believe the ingredients are safe, but again, the risk of eating out at a fast food place is very high due to cross contamination.

Laura

  • 2 weeks later...
hammondtam Apprentice
hammondtam
Posted

Not sure if anyone else has posted this, but it might shed some light on the Mcdonald's French Fries issue.

This is straight from the McDonalds website.

French Fries:

Potatoes, vegetable oil (partially hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor (wheat and milk derivatives)*, citric acid (preservative), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain color), dimethylpolysiloxane (antifoaming agent)), salt. Prepared in vegetable oil ((may contain one of the following: Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated corn oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness), dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent). *CONTAINS: WHEAT AND MILK (Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients.)

chgomom Enthusiast
chgomom
Posted

They are not gluten free.

After they made the statement they got blasted and put out notice that they can not guarantee that they are.

Open Original Shared Link

Viola 1 Rookie
Viola 1
Posted
My daughter eats them and she's extremely sensitive. I checked the ingredients (no wheat/gluten) and confirmed with my two local McDonalds' restaurants that they ONLY fry fries in the fry-fryer, never anything else.

The first time she had them she had a sore belly but no gluten symptoms. We finally realized it was the grease (she hadn't had McDonald's fries for over eight months).

We're in Canada. Maybe it's different here?

The ingredients listing is on the website in pdf format. All ingredients in every single thing.

Yes, they are different here in Canada. The ingredient that is based on wheat in the US is NOT used here.

There can still be a CC problem. I don't have a problem with them, but I go to a McDonalds that is aware of Celiac.

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted
They are not gluten free.

After they made the statement they got blasted and put out notice that they can not guarantee that they are.

Open Original Shared Link

Just a side note here. The New Yorker who was quoted, is OUR Jillian :D

I have been able to eat McD's fries up until now. With in 24 hours of eating them a few days ago, I had a strong gluten reaction.

After being gluten free for some time, I believe you react to the smalled amount of gluten, where as initially, I did not react.

hathor Contributor
hathor
Posted

This reminds me of the problems they got into for saying their fries are vegetarian, when they weren't.

angelbender Newbie
angelbender
Posted

Hi! I haven't been to fast food restaurant since My Last Hurrah (the 3 months I went off the gluten free diet in order to undergo testing including a biopsy. I don't DARE since I've been poisoned at a regular restaurant where I carefully explain how to prepare my food. I missed fries too so here is what I do for MY Fry Fix: Ore Ida Extra Crispy Easy Fries, Golden Crinkles. They are microwave ready in 4 minutes. The ingredients are as follows: potatoes, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (soybean, canola and/or cotton seed), salt, dextrose, disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate , annatto (vegetable color). And it lists CONTAINS SOYBEANS. Are they "healthy?".....uh, doubtful.....are they good?.....you bet! With LOTS of Heinz ketchup! I don't think they are crispy, in fact they remind me of the fries from White Castle, for those of you that are in the Chicago or MidWest United States area. I've' found them at all major food stores; the cheapest is Meijer's for 99 cents. I think that's probably about what they cost at a fast food store for one serving. Hope this helps somebody satisfy that craving for a goody!

Oh yeah, and I've never felt that I've been "glutened."

  • 5 weeks later...
JodiC Apprentice
JodiC
Posted

McDonalds can make anyone feel glutened. My non celiac family takes turns in the bathroom after eating that junk. Did you know a McDonalds hamb can keep for nine years without molding. I think if you are trying to be healthier by remaining celiac free... fast food should also be off the menu.

VegasCeliacBuckeye Collaborator
VegasCeliacBuckeye
Posted
Hi! I haven't been to fast food restaurant since My Last Hurrah (the 3 months I went off the gluten free diet in order to undergo testing including a biopsy. I don't DARE since I've been poisoned at a regular restaurant where I carefully explain how to prepare my food. I missed fries too so here is what I do for MY Fry Fix: Ore Ida Extra Crispy Easy Fries, Golden Crinkles. They are microwave ready in 4 minutes. The ingredients are as follows: potatoes, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (soybean, canola and/or cotton seed), salt, dextrose, disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate , annatto (vegetable color). And it lists CONTAINS SOYBEANS. Are they "healthy?".....uh, doubtful.....are they good?.....you bet! With LOTS of Heinz ketchup! I don't think they are crispy, in fact they remind me of the fries from White Castle, for those of you that are in the Chicago or MidWest United States area. I've' found them at all major food stores; the cheapest is Meijer's for 99 cents. I think that's probably about what they cost at a fast food store for one serving. Hope this helps somebody satisfy that craving for a goody!

Oh yeah, and I've never felt that I've been "glutened."

Angel, cook them in the oven and they wil taste much better and be crispy...

blueeyedmanda Community Regular
blueeyedmanda
Posted

I prefer the french fries I make in my own oven. Much tastier, healthier, and safe.

larry mac Enthusiast
larry mac
Posted
..... Did you know a McDonalds hamb can keep for nine years without molding......

I'm not trying to defend mcdonalds because personally, I've never been a Mcdonald fries lover anyway. They're OK, but I prefer others. However, my son worked there and they only fry fries in a dedicated fryer. The Mcdonalds in our Walmart is small and you can see all the cooking. They have very set procedures for everything. I don't have any concerns regarding CC of the fries at our Mcdonalds. I wouldn't eat anything else though. Their burgers made me marginally ill even before I had celiac.

As regards the statement jc makes (quoted above). What is that supposed to mean? Are you saying mold won't grow on the bun? Or bacteria won't grow on the meat patti? Come on, that's really a silly statement now isn't it?

best regards, lm

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted
I'm not trying to defend mcdonalds because personally, I've never been a Mcdonald fries lover anyway. They're OK, but I prefer others. However, my son worked there and they only fry fries in a dedicated fryer. The Mcdonalds in our Walmart is small and you can see all the cooking. They have very set procedures for everything. I don't have any concerns regarding CC of the fries at our Mcdonalds. I wouldn't eat anything else though. Their burgers made me marginally ill even before I had celiac.

As regards the statement jc makes (quoted above). What is that supposed to mean? Are you saying mold won't grow on the bun? Or bacteria won't grow on the meat patti? Come on, that's really a silly statement now isn't it?

best regards, lm

CC wasn't the issue. The issue was the wheat and milk used somewhere along the line in the process of making the fries that was previously undisclosed. And the mumbo jumbo they threw at us to explain why the wheat and milk won't affect us.

But not all McD's use a dedicated fryer. There are many different sizes of establishments with different menus.

blueeyedmanda Community Regular
blueeyedmanda
Posted

I am not sure if ours has a dedicated fryer or not, they do cook the chicken fingers, and sometimes I found crumbs in with my hubbies fries. So thats enough of a reason for me to stay away. Plus...I was never fond of the fries, they were either dried up or too salty. There were very few times when the fries were very good.

darlindeb25 Collaborator
darlindeb25
Posted

I too am very sensitive to gluten and I was never glutened by McDonald's fries. My son used to bring them to me all the time. At the time, he was a manager of a local McD's. I haven't tried fries in a while because I can't have potatoes anymore, yet my sister still eats them and she is very sensitive too.

The biggest comment I have is: Why must you continue to pick on McD's? Burger King is no different, nor Wendy's, nor restaurants. You can be CC'd at any of these. Your safety is at the hands of the person preparing your food, not the actual food. The McD fries have been found gluten-free, give them a break--they came out with the ingredients, they had them tested, they have proved themselves. I think that says a lot for the company. If you do not feel comfortable eating there, then don't, yet let those who feel ok with McD's enjoy their fries.

Any time you eat anything away from home that you did not prepare or someone you trust prepared, then you are taking a risk, that is the choice we make.

Viola 1 Rookie
Viola 1
Posted
I too am very sensitive to gluten and I was never glutened by McDonald's fries. My son used to bring them to me all the time. At the time, he was a manager of a local McD's. I haven't tried fries in a while because I can't have potatoes anymore, yet my sister still eats them and she is very sensitive too.

The biggest comment I have is: Why must you continue to pick on McD's? Burger King is no different, nor Wendy's, nor restaurants. You can be CC'd at any of these. Your safety is at the hands of the person preparing your food, not the actual food. The McD fries have been found gluten-free, give them a break--they came out with the ingredients, they had them tested, they have proved themselves. I think that says a lot for the company. If you do not feel comfortable eating there, then don't, yet let those who feel ok with McD's enjoy their fries.

Any time you eat anything away from home that you did not prepare or someone you trust prepared, then you are taking a risk, that is the choice we make.

Well said Deb!

I react to the smallest things, and can eat their fries with no problem.

Having said that ... Make your own choice! That's what life is all about, if you are an adult you have the freedom to chose.

gf4life Enthusiast
gf4life
Posted

I personally don't eat McDonald's food, but that is for weightloss/health reasons. I do believe they are gluten free because they had them tested and they were fine. So for my kids, I let them eat the fries once a month, not usually more than that because all that grease isn't healthy. They never have had a reaction to them. Occasionally two of the three kids will get a bunless burger (usually my daughter just wants the Happy Meal toy!), and sometimes I let them get a sundae or an M&M McFlurry.

Besides In-N-Out Burger, McDonald's is the only other fast food place we eat at.

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