Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Are Fries At Mcdonalds In The Us Gluten Free?

amber

Recommended Posts

amber Explorer
amber
Posted

Hello,

Are the fries at McDonalds in the U.S. gluten free? We will be visting there later in the year and whilst we are not particularly interested in going to McDonalds I would like to know whether the fries are gluten free or not. Here in Australia the fries at McDonalds are gluten free as are the hash browns and various sundaes, shakes etc. I have heard that the fries in the US are not gluten free. I have also heard that they weren't in the past but now they are. Can someone please clarify so that we know to avoid them if we do happen to visit a McDonalds (which I hope won't be necessary but you never know!).

THANKS :)

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


newlifeforme Newbie
newlifeforme
Posted

Anything fried in a shared fryer would not be gluten free.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

At a standard McDonald's in the USA (and in Canada) the fries are prepared in dedicated fryers at the front of the store by the window crew. At breakfast, those fryers are used for the hash browns. Everything else--EVERYTHING else--is fried in the back by the grill crew. Different location, different crew, different fryers.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

There is quite a story around McDonald's. When the US government made allergen labeling mandatory, McDonald's had to disclose that the beef flavor they use very early in processing contains a little bit of hydrolyzed wheat protein (it's a source of MSG). There was a big stink because McDonald's had been marketing them as safe for people with celiac disease. The fries were independently tested for gluten and it turns out that no detectable gluten makes it through to the finished product.

McDonald's fries are actually safer than most fast-food fries becasue of the dedicated fryer station at the front of the store that's only ever used for fries and hash browns. I eat them without trouble, as do a lot of people on the board.

Darn210 Enthusiast
Darn210
Posted

Exactly like Peter and Skylark said . . .

. . . my daughter eats them without any issues.

amber Explorer
amber
Posted
  • Author

Thanks everyone! :) That has clarified the situation for me.

eatmeat4good Enthusiast
eatmeat4good
Posted

When I was considering McDonald's fries I read about this issue. I read that while there may be dedicated fryers and gluten free fries, at the end of a shift, all of the oil is strained to filter out food particles and then combined in a large vat to store until it is re-used to fill the fryers the next day. That would make the fries contaminated. I do not know if this is a current practice or if it ever was and I have never questioned them about their specific practices at McDonald's. I just decided it was easier to make my own fries after reading about this issue. Does anyone know if this is really what they do with the oil?? I'm mentioning it just in case it happens to be true. Wouldn't want your vacation ruined over some darned french fries. :)

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

I am now reaching beyond what I know as fact. McDonald's are really anal about keeping the oil for the fries free of contamination. The fries are a signature product, and they do not want anything to taint the flavor of the fries. I can see potato fryer oil being recycled into the rear fryers, but not the other way around. If anyone has proof that this is not true, please post your evidence.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

I found this, which supports Peter's post about their care with CC. This is from the UK McDonald's but it probably applies to US. I do remember the french fry fryer being filtered first and the fish fryer last when I worked at McDonald's so many years ago.

Open Original Shared Link

"McDonald's does not regard the Filet-o-Fish as suitable for vegetarians because the company classifies fish as meat. The company considers it a personal choice as to whether a vegetarian chooses to eat fish. With regards to the frying process, each product is prepared in separate fryers. However, when it comes to filtering the oil, McDonald's has two different filtering processes. One process is self-filtering, where oil is not mixed from one fryer to another. The second filtering process uses the same unit across all fryers, but the fryers are filtered in a specific order. So the French Fries fryer is filtered first, followed by the Veggie Deluxe fryer, the Apple Pies fryer, the chicken fryer and then the Filet-o-Fish fryer. The machine is thoroughly cleaned after every filtering session and the Vegetarian Society has approved this method for keeping oil used to cook the fries separate from any meat content. Unfortunately the company does not maintain a central record of the processes used in each restaurant, so if this is an issue for you, the best course of action is to check at the restaurant you visit to find out which method is used before ordering your meal. "

GlutenFreeAustinite Contributor
GlutenFreeAustinite
Posted

I was under the impression (having read McDonald's nutrition/ingredients information online) that the fries were not gluten free due to some beef flavoring they put on the fries that has wheat in it. Can anyone else verify?

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

There is a wheat-derived ingredient in the beef flavor. A small amount of the flavoring is added to the oil in which the fries are partially fried prior to being frozen. A small amount of oil is absorbed. The frying process is completed at the store. The oil used at that stage is pure vegetable oil.

The finished product has been independently tested and found to contain no detectable gluten. Many of us eat McDonald's fries without any problems.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

I was under the impression (having read McDonald's nutrition/ingredients information online) that the fries were not gluten free due to some beef flavoring they put on the fries that has wheat in it. Can anyone else verify?

Read the previous posts on this thread & you will get your info.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Russ H's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
    2. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      2

      Son's legs shaking

      @lizzie42, You're being a good mom, seeking answers for your son. Cheers! Subclinical thiamine deficiency commonly occurs with anemia. An outright Thiamine deficiency can be precipitated by the consumption of a high carbohydrate meal. Symptoms of Thiamine deficiency include feeling shakey or wobbly in the legs, muscle weakness or cramps...
    3. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Paulaannefthimiou's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      2

      Bob red mill gluten free oats

      Oats naturally contain a protein called avenin, which is similar to the gluten proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye. While avenin is generally considered safe for most people with celiac disease, some individuals, around 5-10% of celiacs, may also have sensitivity to avenin, leading to symptoms similar to gluten exposure. You may fall into this...
    4. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to SamAlvi's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      6

      High TTG-IgG and Normal TTG-IgA

      @SamAlvi, It's common with anemia to have a lower tTg IgA antibodies than DGP IgG ones, but your high DGP IgG scores still point to Celiac disease. Since a gluten challenge would pose further health damage, you may want to ask for a DNA test to see if you have any of the commonly known genes for Celiac disease. Though having the genes for Celiac...
    5. trents
      - trents replied to SamAlvi's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      6

      High TTG-IgG and Normal TTG-IgA

      Currently, there are no tests for NCGS. Celiac disease must first be ruled out and we do have testing for celiac disease. There are two primary test modalities for diagnosing celiac disease. One involves checking for antibodies in the blood. For the person with celiac disease, when gluten is ingested, it produces an autoimmune response in the lining...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,869
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    MaryannHall
    Newest Member
    MaryannHall
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @lizzie42, You're being a good mom, seeking answers for your son.  Cheers! Subclinical thiamine deficiency commonly occurs with anemia.  An outright Thiamine deficiency can be precipitated by the consumption of a high carbohydrate meal.   Symptoms of Thiamine deficiency include feeling shakey or wobbly in the legs, muscle weakness or cramps, as well as aggression and irritability, confusion, mood swings and behavior changes.  Thiamine is essential to the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine which keep us calm and rational.   @Jsingh, histamine intolerance is also a symptom of Thiamine deficiency.  Thiamine is needed to prevent mast cells from releasing histamine at the slightest provocation as is seen in histamine intolerance.  Thiamine and the other B vitamins and Vitamin C are needed to clear histamine from the body.  Without sufficient thiamine and other B vitamins to clear it, the histamine builds up.  High histamine levels can change behavior, too.  High histamine levels are found in the brains of patients with schizophrenia.  Thiamine deficiency can also cause extreme hunger or conversely anorexia.   High carbohydrate meals can precipitate thiamine deficiency because additional thiamine is required to process carbohydrates for the body to use as fuel.  The more carbohydrates one eats daily, the more one needs additional thiamine above the RDA.  Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses. Keep in mind that gluten-free processed foods like cookies and such are not required to be fortified and enriched with vitamins and minerals like their gluten containing counterparts are.  Limit processed gluten-free foods.  They are often full of empty calories and unhealthy saturated fats and additives, and are high in histamine or histamine release triggers.  It's time you bought your own vitamins to supplement what is not being absorbed due to malabsorption of Celiac disease.  Benfotiamine is a form of Thiamine that has been shown to improve intestinal health as well as brain function. Do talk to your doctors and dieticians about supplementing with the essential vitamins and minerals while your children are growing up gluten free.  Serve nutritionally dense foods.  Meats and liver are great sources of B vitamins and minerals. Hope this helps!  Keep us posted on your progress!
    • Scott Adams
      Bob red mill gluten free oats

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Oats naturally contain a protein called avenin, which is similar to the gluten proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye. While avenin is generally considered safe for most people with celiac disease, some individuals, around 5-10% of celiacs, may also have sensitivity to avenin, leading to symptoms similar to gluten exposure. You may fall into this category, and eliminating them is the best way to figure this out. Some people substitute gluten-free quinoa flakes for oats if they want a hot cereal substitute. If you are interested in summaries of scientific publications on the topic of oats and celiac disease, we have an entire category dedicated to it which is here: https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/oats-and-celiac-disease-are-they-gluten-free/   
    • knitty kitty
      High TTG-IgG and Normal TTG-IgA

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @SamAlvi, It's common with anemia to have a lower tTg IgA antibodies than DGP IgG ones, but your high DGP IgG scores still point to Celiac disease.   Since a gluten challenge would pose further health damage, you may want to ask for a DNA test to see if you have any of the commonly known genes for Celiac disease.  Though having the genes for Celiac is not diagnostic in and of itself, taken with the antibody tests, the anemia and your reaction to gluten, it may be a confirmation you have Celiac disease.   Do discuss Gastrointestinal Beriberi with your doctors.  In Celiac disease, Gastrointestinal Beriberi is frequently overlooked by doctors.  The digestive system can be affected by localized Thiamine deficiency which causes symptoms consistent with yours.  Correction of nutritional deficiencies quickly is beneficial.  Benfotiamine, a form of thiamine, helps improve intestinal health.  All eight B vitamins, including Thiamine (Benfotiamine), should be supplemented because they all work together.   The B vitamins are needed in addition to iron to correct anemia.   Hope this helps!  Keep us posted on your progress!
    • trents
      High TTG-IgG and Normal TTG-IgA

      By trents · Posted

      Currently, there are no tests for NCGS. Celiac disease must first be ruled out and we do have testing for celiac disease. There are two primary test modalities for diagnosing celiac disease. One involves checking for antibodies in the blood. For the person with celiac disease, when gluten is ingested, it produces an autoimmune response in the lining of the small bowel which generates specific kinds of antibodies. Some people are IGA deficient and such that the IGA antibody tests done for celiac disease will have skewed results and cannot be trusted. In that case, there are IGG tests that can be ordered though, they aren't quite as specific for celiac disease as the IGA tests. But the possibility of IGA deficiency is why a "total IGA" test should always be ordered along with the TTG-IGA. The other modality is an endoscopy (scoping of the upper GI track) with a biopsy of the small bowel lining. The aforementioned autoimmune response produces inflammation in the small bowel lining which, over time, damages the structure of the lining. The biopsy is sent to a lab and microscopically analyzed for signs of this damage. If the damage is severe enough, it can often be spotted during the scoping itself. The endoscopy/biopsy is used as confirmation when the antibody results are positive, since there is a small chance that elevated antibody test scores can be caused by things other than celiac disease, particularly when the antibody test numbers are not particularly high. If the antibody test numbers are 10x normal or higher, physicians will sometimes declare an official diagnosis of celiac disease without an endoscopy/biopsy, particularly in the U.K. Some practitioners use stool tests to detect celiac disease but this modality is not widely recognized in the medical community as valid. Both celiac testing modalities outlined above require that you have been consuming generous amounts of gluten for weeks/months ahead of time. Many people make the mistake of experimenting with the gluten free diet or even reducing their gluten intake prior to testing. By doing so, they invalidate the testing because antibodies stop being produced, disappear from the blood and the lining of the small bowel begins to heal. So, then they are stuck in no man's land, wondering if they have celiac disease or NCGS. To resume gluten consumption, i.e., to undertake a "gluten challenge" is out of the question because their reaction to gluten is so strong that it would endanger their health. The lining of the small bowel is the place where all of the nutrition in the food we consume is absorbed. This lining is made up of billions of microscopically tiny fingerlike projections that create a tremendous nutrient absorption surface area. The inflammation caused by celiac disease wears down these fingers and greatly reduces the surface area needed for nutrient absorption. Thus, people with celiac disease often develop iron deficiency anemia and a host of other vitamin and mineral deficiencies. It is likely that many more people who have issues with gluten suffer from NCGS than from celiac disease. We actually know much more about the mechanism of celiac disease than we do about NCGS but some experts believe NCGS can transition into celiac disease.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.