Mcdonald Fries Are Not Gluten Free

[lob6796]

I wanted to post this separate because I think so many people are under the misconception that because their fries aren't coated, and because they are used in dedicated fryers that they are gluten free. They are NOT. Here are the ingredients....

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.)

[Guest j_mommy]

They also say right on their website that they can't guarentte no cross contamination on their non breaded chix breast b/c it may come into contact with their breaded one!

[dally099]

i know longer eat mcdonalds fries as the last time i did it was like swallowing razor blades. i eat nothing in mcdonalds including thier chicken salad beacuse the coating on their chicken has soy in it. my local burger baron though is willing to cook for me if i bring in my own burger and bun so thats nice, i also no longer eat at subway for the salads, way to many bread crumbs in that place.

[pedro]

Hi

I no longer eat at McDonalds restaurants. I got so sick after eating there, that when I started the gluten-free diet I gave up McDonalds. Is not worth it to get sick.

Take care.

[cooki.dough]

I remember going to McDonald's with my mom, and we asked about the fries and they said they were perfectly safe so I ate one, and got SOOOOOOOOO sick. That was before they admitted there was wheat in the fries. I definately avoid McDonald's like crazy, although I have bought a couple diet cokes there when I'm dying of thirst.

[girlywhirly]

That is so interesting about McDonalds fries. I ate a small handful a few weeks ago, thinking they were the only thing I could eat there, and suffered for almost a week afterword. Thanks for updating us on this!

[CarlaB]

If you're interested in the whole story behind the fries, you might search the site. We've had a lot of discussion on this.

They disclosed that one of the ingredients had wheat. Then they had them tested for gluten in the end product and they tested out okay.

Some people seem to tolerate them, others don't.

Fast food is a risk, safe or not, because of cc.

[zarfkitty]

I'm more concerned about CC at McDonald's than the molecule of gluten that might be left in the beef flavoring (the flavoring has been tested and gluten is below detectable levels).

I ate McDonald's fries after reading The Gluten-Free Bible (before doing internet research... gosh this is a learning process!!). I definitely got glutened. I doubt it was the beef flavoring. The kitchen area probably has a patina of gluten all over it... buns, breaded chicken, fried apple pies, practically everything there is gluten.

If I were absolutely sure the fryer was dedicated, and if I were absolutely sure my fries touched nothing else between the freezer, the fryer, and my carton, and if were absolutely sure that my cook's hands were freshly gloved, I might feel safe eating the fries. I'm not going to that much trouble over McDonald's. (I might go to that much trouble over a taco at my favorite mom-&-pop Mexican food dive, though!)

[mamatide]

McDonald's CANADA Food Facts (updated May 2007):

Open Original Shared Link

says no Wheat. No problems for my extremely sensitive Celiac DD and me. In Canada at least.

FWIW

[Guhlia]

Wow, I must be really lucky. My McDonalds has a dedicated fryer at the opposite end of the kitchen from the other fryers. They have a dedicated fry person during busy hours that touches nothing but the french fries and the french fry fryers. This McDonalds is one of the few places I have NEVER gotten glutened. I always get a side salad and an order of fries. My daughter (who wets herself whenever glutened) has never been glutened either and she appears to be super, super, super, super sensitive. I consider my McDonalds (and only the one in my hometown, no others) the safest place to eat out.

[happygirl]

Wow, I must be really lucky. My McDonalds has a dedicated fryer at the opposite end of the kitchen from the other fryers. They have a dedicated fry person during busy hours that touches nothing but the french fries and the french fry fryers. This McDonalds is one of the few places I have NEVER gotten glutened. I always get a side salad and an order of fries. My daughter (who wets herself whenever glutened) has never been glutened either and she appears to be super, super, super, super sensitive. I consider my McDonalds (and only the one in my hometown, no others) the safest place to eat out.

Im coming to visit. (Some of my worst glutenings were at McDs.)

I'm coming over!!!!!! Enjoy a fry for me!

[ItchyMeredith]

BOOOO on McDonalds!!

I am trying to look on the bright side. I shouldn't be eating that stuff for sooooo many reasons. The gluten is just the final straw. It is sad though.

Goodbye Fries....Thanks for the memories.

[happygirl]

Just an FYI: independent lab testings showed that the fries did not have ANY gluten in them.

There are still, of course, risks re: cross contamination.

[bookbabie]

BOOOO on McDonalds!!

I am trying to look on the bright side. I shouldn't be eating that stuff for sooooo many reasons. The gluten is just the final straw. It is sad though.

Goodbye Fries....Thanks for the memories.

I second that Meredith, who needs all that greasy fast food anyway!

[SunnyDyRain]

i have to admit.. I eat Mcdonald fries at least once a month.... yes i know it's a risk, and I probally have had them 5 times scince going gluten free, I haven't gotten sick. Maybe I'm lucky, maybe i'm just not sensitive, maybe I have a really good mcdonalds!

[Karen B.]

Just an FYI: independent lab testings showed that the fries did not have ANY gluten in them.

There are still, of course, risks re: cross contamination.

I don't have a link to a website handy but IIRC, Celiacs react to a smaller level of gluten than the most sensitive test can detect.

This article is the closest I can find to what I remember:

"One of the reasons why the level in the Standard has not yet been effected (the proposal has been dealt with already two years ago) is that there is no validated analytical method (ring-tested) available to check compliance to this level. Though it might look rather simple to analyze gluten, it is generally done with an Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay - ELISA, it is in fact very tricky, and especially as the term gluten is very imprecise. "

https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodi...-53107407594.47