Mcdonalds Fries

[Skittles]

I am on the Canadian McDonalds website looking at the nutrition info, which is updated as of today. These are the ingredients contained in their french fries: Potatoes, canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, safflower oil, natural flavour (vegetable source),dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain colour), citric acid (preservative), dimethylpolysiloxane (antifoaming

agent) and cooked in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with THBQ, citric

acid and dimethypolysiloxane).

I don't know all of these ingredients. Does this look gluten free?

[VydorScope]

  On 6/13/2012 at 10:15 PM, Skittles said:

I am on the Canadian McDonalds website looking at the nutrition info, which is updated as of today. These are the ingredients contained in their french fries: Potatoes, canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, safflower oil, natural flavour (vegetable source),dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain colour), citric acid (preservative), dimethylpolysiloxane (antifoaming

agent) and cooked in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with THBQ, citric

acid and dimethypolysiloxane).

I don't know all of these ingredients. Does this look gluten free?

I know here in America McDondals list the fries as having wheat in them (on their allergy page), and I have plenty of posts from people that have eaten them and had a gluten reaction. I do not know if they use different recipe in Canada though.

src: Open Original Shared Link

[benXX]

This is what it says on the ingredients for the USA ( Open Original Shared Link )

French Fries:

Potatoes, vegetable oil (canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor [wheat and milk derivatives]*, citric acid [preservative]), dextrose, sodium acid

pyrophosphate (maintain color), salt. Prepared in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to

preserve freshness). Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent.

So "natural beef flavor" for USA vs "natural flavor" for Canada. I guess they are the same.

Maybe you should email McDonalds about it.

[Skylark]

What you've posted looks even safer than the US version! US McDonald's fries have been independently tested and come up gluten-free. The trace of wheat in the beef flavoring is used in an intermediate step.

What probably bothers people at McDonald's is if the fryer oil is filtered out of order and wheat from McNuggets or other batter fried foods gets into the potato fryers. Or even worse if other foods are cooked in the potato fryers (this is against policy at most McDonald's but occasionally you run across a tiny one in a mall or store that runs fewer fryers). If it's a McDonald's you visit regularly you can talk to the manager and make sure the potato fryers are filtered first and they never put battered foods in them.

[Lisa]

McDonald's US fries have been independently tested and considered safe for those with Celiac to consume, as any wheat residue is processed out.

This is the "hotest" topic on C.com. Thousands upon thousands of posts have been dedicated to french fries...go figure?

I'm sure a Canadian will stop by soon. But, if I recall and as you posted, there are no gluten ingredients in those fries. But you should know that anytime you eat out, your risk the possibility of cross contact or cross contamination....especially in a fast food restaurant.

[VydorScope]

  On 6/13/2012 at 10:58 PM, Lisa said:

McDonald's US fries have been independently tested and considered safe for those with Celiac to consume, as any wheat residue is processed out.

This is the "hotest" topic on C.com. Thousands upon thousands of posts have been dedicated to french fries...go figure?

I'm sure a Canadian will stop by soon.

Yep!

So in summary..

1) McDondals states there is wheat in their fries - VOLUNTARILY.

2) Some people who eat them have gluten reaction from them

3) Some people who eat them do not

4) A test was done on the fries, and with in the stated limits of the test they detected no gluten

That is the full story as I know it. It is up to you whether or not you want to risk them. I will not risk them with my son that is for sure.

[Lisa]

  On 6/13/2012 at 11:16 PM, VydorScope said:

Yep!

So in summary..

1) McDondals states there is wheat in their fries - VOLUNTARILY.

2) Some people who eat them have gluten reaction from them

3) Some people who eat them do not

4) A test was done on the fries, and with in the stated limits of the test they detected no gluten

That is the full story as I know it. It is up to you whether or not you want to risk them. I will not risk them with my son that is for sure.

I'm a #3. Good Summary.

[psawyer]

Without commenting on the original question, I will say this:

Based on the posting of ingredients in Canada, and applying Canadian rules, the Canadian fries are not identical to those in the US.

McD Canada says, "natural flavour (vegetable source)." The US discloses milk ingredients. Milk is not a vegetable source.

In both countries, wheat is an identified allergen which must be disclosed in an ingredients list. Restaurants are not required to have ingredient lists, but if the choose to do so, they must adhere to the rules.

A bit of McHistory, for those who are interested. The unique flavor of the McDonalds fries originally came from beef tallow. As a "natural flavor," it could be listed as just that. Many assumed that the fries were vegetarian. Some vegetarians sued McD because they did not explicitly say they were NOT vegetarian. So, on with the journey to replicate the flavor of beef tallow while being vegetarian. The concoction they came up with in the US uses wheat and milk to create an imitation (but "natural") beef tallow flavor.

[Lisa]

  On 6/14/2012 at 1:44 AM, psawyer said:

A bit of McHistory, .

<snicker> Good one Peter.

[Silencio]

McDonalds fries are indeed gluten free in Canada. They also have dedicated fryers in a different area so they don't make a mistake of putting the fries in the chicken nuggets oil. I have ate there quite a bit since I found out a few months ago. Its not so weird to order a meal with no bun either. They say it happens all the time. I know its a risk eating there if your sensitive but I have had no problems at all.

[Skylark]

  On 6/14/2012 at 1:44 AM, psawyer said:

A bit of McHistory, for those who are interested. The unique flavor of the McDonalds fries originally came from beef tallow. As a "natural flavor," it could be listed as just that. Many assumed that the fries were vegetarian. Some vegetarians sued McD because they did not explicitly say they were NOT vegetarian. So, on with the journey to replicate the flavor of beef tallow while being vegetarian. The concoction they came up with in the US uses wheat and milk to create an imitation (but "natural") beef tallow flavor.

Interesting. In the US, the switch to vegetable oil and beef flavor was a result of a huge consumer backlash when McDonald's revealed that the fries were being fried in tallow, a saturated fat. They switched to vegetable oil as a result. Something similar happened to movie popcorn popped in coconut oil.

[Skittles]

  On 6/14/2012 at 4:34 AM, Silencio said:

McDonalds fries are indeed gluten free in Canada. They also have dedicated fryers in a different area so they don't make a mistake of putting the fries in the chicken nuggets oil. I have ate there quite a bit since I found out a few months ago. Its not so weird to order a meal with no bun either. They say it happens all the time. I know its a risk eating there if your sensitive but I have had no problems at all.

so you order a burger without the bun? so does the beef not have any additives such as gluten in it?

[psawyer]

  On 6/17/2012 at 4:11 AM, Skittles said:

so you order a burger without the bun? so does the beef not have any additives such as gluten in it?

The McDonalds patty is 100% beef--nothing added.