Mcdonalds French Fries

[gluten momma]

]I just read the McDonalds french fry ingredients online and the site said that the fries have hydrolyzed wheat in the beef flavoring added to the fries. Does anyone one know if this is correct or where else to confirm this? I was under the impression that their fries were okay for GI individuals but have had some issues recently that caused me to look up the ingredients.

Thanks

[Darissa]

As long as I can remember, McDonald's fry's have had wheat in them. We do not eat them. We do love ChickFilA's fry's. They are never cooked with anything breaded. Also, In and Out has gluten free fries. Good luck!

[RideAllWays]

I work there. Don't eat them. Plain and Simple.

[psawyer]

The ingredients vary by country.

In the United States, and only in the United States, there is a "beef" flavor in the oil that is used at the factory to partially fry the product before freezing. That flavor contains no beef, but does contain derivatives from wheat and milk. (There is no flavor in the oil used at the store.)

Independent testing of the finished product did not find detectable gluten.

To me, the risk of cross-contamination at a fast food establishment--any fast food establishment--is a greater concern.

Make your own decision. If you react to a food--any food--don't eat it.

[RideAllWays]

I guess it could be different in different countries, but most of the McDonald's in Canada are built the same, and the chicken nuggets and everything else breaded are fried right beside the french fries. I'm not even sure about the beef flavouring but based on the fact that they are fried with gluten all around makes me positive that I am never going to eat them!

[psawyer]

Here in the Toronto area, none of the locations that I have seen have the fries cooked anywhere near the other items. The fries (and hash browns) are fried at the front of the store, in plain sight, by the Window Crew (the same people who take your order and payment). Everything else is fried in the back, out of sight, by the Grill Crew.

And, when this question first came up in February of 2006, McDonalds Canada issued a statement saying that in Canada there is no wheat in the fries at all.