pixiegirl

What does, "its not cheap" mean.... $100 or $500 or $1000?

I'm not sure how to find a lab that does it, when I google it I keep getting labs that test people for Celiac not french fries!

Susan

I'm the person that umm started this, well not this one.... but the entire McDonalds French Fries and gluten thing. I am sorry that its pissed a lot of people off (I'm certainly not sorry I posted it) but its better to have the facts then not have them. And I'm sorry that some people are angry that I've continued to post on it .

The story has turned up everywhere. I'm a stockbroker and doing research on Motley Fool I saw it's there too. And in the "Fool" article they made it clear that in their opinion they don't feel McDonalds is taking the issue seriously at all. Open Original Shared Link

Today I've search a bunch of different places, news and otherwise and I did hear that McDonalds was going to make a statement that their fries do contain wheat (and hence gluten). I don't know if thats fact or not but they are certainly taking a lot of heat and I feel they have to address this soon.

I posted elsewhere on this list... can't I go buy some fries and have them tested? Would that be expensive? Does anyone know where you would go to do that?

I still disagree with the people that say its not McDonalds fault but the fault of the oil supplier, another big company, Kraft buys their ingredients from suppliers all over the world, why is it that they are able to accurately label their food? Certainly I feel a company the size of McDonalds should KNOW what's in the food/ingredients they purchase, especially when they make allergy statements on their web site in regards to the potential allergens in those foods. Does that mean that all their allergy information could be wrong..... .that instead of asking their suppliers they just sort of guessed? Because my daughter has a peanut allergy, a life threatening one, and guessing about allergens sure doesn't work for us.

Just my current thoughts on this issue .

Susan

Yes of course its possible that the manager made a mistake, like everyone always says... eating out is a risk. I'm sorry this happened to you and I hope you feel better soon. I'm going to stay away from those bread crumbs too, I can see how they would be easy to mix up.

Susan!

I have a question... is it possible for say... me to test McDonalds fries? I mean what is stopping me from buying some fries and sending them somewhere to test for gluten. I know that this doesn't mean that the results I get would be the same for every McDonalds but I'm just sort of wondering out loud here.

Does anyone know where you can send something to have it tested?

Susan

I've said this a million times a lot of people are probably sick of me saying it. I go to Legal Seafoods all the time and even still when I get seated I ask the hostess if she could please send the manager over to my table. When he gets there I introduce myself (the Legal at Copley Place, Boston knows me I know all the managers and I still do this) and tell them that although I know they have a gluten-free menu and I've eaten there many times, would they please talk to the waiter about how important it is to get this right. I've never once had a manager act like this was a problem, they have been more then happy to do it and they always stop back by my table and say they not only talked to the server but talked to the chef and he is waiting for my order.

The server comes to my table knowing the manager is on top of this and when I order I ask them to please write "gluten free" in big letters. They always do. And I've never been glutened at Legal Seafoods and at very few other places I go.

It may sound like a hassle for all but its really in how you do it. I've gotten to know the managers of some of Bostons best restaurants and believe me on a Friday night that has served me really well. I also tip my wait person more then usual.

I really love to eat out and I realize its always a risk so I take these extra steps to reduce the chances I get glutened, so far its really working!

Susan

From: Open Original Shared Link website:

MSNBC.com

Report: McDonald's fries contain allergens

New ingredients labels include wheat, dairy, according to newspaper

MSNBC

Updated: 12:44 p.m. ET Feb. 13, 2006

McDonald's french fries contain "wheat and milk ingredients" that

could pose problems for people who have allergies to these

substances, a report in the Wall Street Journal said Monday.

The world's largest restaurant chain had previously denied that its

french fries contained ingredients that cause allergic reactions in

people sensitive to wheat or dairy products. Millions of Americans

suffer allergies or sensitivities to certain foods, with symptoms

ranging from mild discomfort, rashes to life-threatening.

McDonald's said the change in its food labels were to conform to new

federal rules which took effect on Jan. 1, the newspaper reported.

The federal law requires food labels to list whether ingredients

contain peanuts, milk, wheat, eggs, fish or other substances that

could sicken people with allergies.

McDonald's said there has been no change in the way the fries are

prepared.

Previously, McDonald's said the flavoring in its french fries was

safe for people with dietary allergies, according to the Journal.

The disclosure closely follows McDonald's announcement last week

that its fries contain a third more trans fats than it previously

knew, citing results of a new testing method the fast food company

began using in December. Trans fats are commonly found in fried

foods, some margarines and snack foods and can raise blood levels of

bad cholesterol.

McDonald's has been reluctant to risk changing the taste of its

iconic french fries. It pledged in September 2002 to switch to a new

oil that would halve the level of harmful trans fatty acid in its

fries. But it has delayed those plans, citing product quality and

customer satisfaction as priorities while continuing testing.

The disclosure about allergens and trans fats in french fries come

as McDonald's Corp. starts rolling out packaging for its menu items

that contain facts about their nutritional content.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

© 2006 MSNBC.com

URL: Open Original Shared Link

***************************

C

Well cruise lines are getting on board with all the various food issues, I've cruised a lot and I've got gluten issues and my daughter has peanut and tree nut allergies.

However for a honeymoon look into Windstar Cruises its been voted by all the travel magazines as the most romantic cruise line. There will be almost no children on board (I hate other cruise ships where they are running all over the place, my daughter is 14 so I personally don't want to deal with kids on a vacation).

They really understand food issues (Windstar is owned by Holland America) and I've cruised with them twice and have not been glutened. Holland America does offer gluten free breads and crackers and Windstar doesn't but most of their foods are gluten-free and they know which ones are not. they will also let you bring your own stuff on board and each room has a frig, just ask them to clean it out of the stuff they stock it with. It is a cruise line that will go way far out of your way to make you happy.

But a lot depends on what you want on a cruise, if you are looking for limbo partys and a lot of drinking 20 somethings at the pool stick with RCL or Carnival. Windstar is very laid back, quiet, smaller ports... very relaxed.

Susan

I'd like to copy the story that David wrote to another couple of lists and people but I don't want to violate the copyright, am I allowed to do that if I include all the info? If not is there a way to link directly to his post, not the page his post is on but the actual post?

thanks,

Susan

Well I was going to post this too, I am going this weekend to buy one as well in light of the McDonalds thing.. my daughter and I don't very often eat fried food but once in a while we get a hankering for fries. My best friend has a Tfal and loves it, other then that you might want to check on epinions and see if any are reviewed.

Susan

OH darn I was in Nashville a few months ago and didn't know about this but I did have no problems finding safe places to eat there, so it was a good trip. I'll check it out when I go next year, thanks for the info!

Susan

>> Trust is something you earn. They have a lot of "earning" to do.

Very good point, I'm with you on this 100%.

Susan

I just wanted to say that we really all need to keep this up now and then.... the calling and letter writing. I do it too... because as more and more people are diagnosed with Celiac and various other allergies it will become more important to companies to find out what is in their products. The more pressure we put on them the more inclined they will be to list what's in their products.

I'm sure we all realize how easy it would be for Proctor and Gamble or Revlon to contact their suppliers and find out what's in the fragrance or how about going with more unscented products since a lot of us don't even like scented products. This is really very simple for them to "fix". However they won't do it until there is enough people and enough pressure to do so.

I thought I read that 3 million people have in the USA have Celiac and who knows how many countless others have a gluten sensitivity and/or wheat allergy... that 3 million number is growing every day and as it does most companies will realize that they don't want to exclude xx million potential customers.

So I just wanted to say thanks for doing this and I hope we all keep it up! (off my soapbox now to go write some letters)

Susan

I react to fritos too!

Susan

I have tons of food allergies as well and similar symptoms, pain, gas, all sorts of GI symptoms. You might want to talk to the GI doctor about having your son take Gastrocrom... its a mast cell inhibitor... (which are allergy related) its got virtually no side effects, you mix a few drops with a glass of water before you eat and it mitigates the allergic response to food. As far as drugs go, its very low on the scale of being bad for you. It is the only thing that has worked for me with my food allergies, I'm feeling almost totally normal right now. The only bad thing about it is: it has to be take before every meal and bedtime and it takes about 2 weeks to really work.

However even if he takes it for the short term it would give his system some time to heal up. I really suggest you ask your doctor about it and do some Google research, its help me tons and I believe there are others on this list that have taken it and I am on a few other lists for GI disorders and it seems its helped tons of people. Again very low on side effects (I've had none at all, other then feeling great).

Just an idea!

Susan

Wow and to think I started this firestorm! If you take the ketchup and salt and mix it with their gluten-free water you can call it tomato soup.

One thing that always bugs me... I'm on a variety of lists, but its when people say, its ONLY french fries or that we need to "get a life" because I'm very involved in a topic. If they don't like all the posts about french fries why don't they just skip this topic? Its obvious that some people need to talk about it, maybe its the way that they let out their anger or frustration, but they wouldn't be doing it if it didn't work for them. It just really bugs me when people insinuate that I'm posting too much or too often about a topic, thank you but I'll make this decision about MY posting without you and unless you are a list owner, I'm not interested. Sheesh (ok I vented).

The bottom line for me is that McDonalds now lists their fries as containing gluten, so that's it for me.

I fall into that group where McDonalds was my fall back, I travel every single month, usually multiple times per month, all over the country and McDonalds was a place I could eat at, virtually in any airport or any small city in the US. If I couldn't find a place that could do gluten-free I could always eat at McDonalds. So I really feel the loss.

Oh well.... onward and upward....

susan

On a Celiac e-mail list I'm on someone just posted that they called McDonalds and they said there is no change in the recipe and they now must list all the ingredients it could contain, but they said that the manufacture of the oil (which is apparently where the beef, wheat and dairy are... why they are there I don't know) any how, the manufacture says that they somehow have a process that removes the proteins from the oil. So now people on that list are saying ok great good news and now we can go back to eating them.

I guess thats for each person to decide but my question would be, if they strain them out somehow (and i'm not even sure thats possible) why do they still have to list those ingredients? And my next question would be how the heck to they get them out. Apparently McDonalds answered that by saying they didn't know but thats the info they have.

Hmmmm, I'm still going to buy a deep fryer today.

Susan

Thanks everyone for your kind words... I went to bed last night feeling... well not bad that I posted the info about McDonalds but more... shaking my head at the human race for a couple of people being angry at me. It wasn't anyone who posted in this thread it was privately to my e-mail. But I'm a big girl and I would never let it stop me from doing the right thing.

You know what I'm really thinking.... I really hate to say this and I'm hoping we will find out today when someone calls McDonalds (I hope a lot of people do) but I think this is the labeling law. I'm thinking McDonalds has not changed their recipe at all. I have read many times, statements from McDonalds saying that the only real change they have "ever" made to their fries was the change from frying in lard to veggie oil and that they would never mess with a good thing.

And the last few times I ate there I had fruit salad (no nuts but did eat the yogurt with it), vanilla milk shake and fries (you can see why I don't eat there too often I'd be the size of a barn!) and I always felt a little funny, my excuse was that I don't often eat much oil and that the greasy-ness of the fries bothered me. Or maybe the dairy. But I'm just going to bet the fries had this seasoning on them since day one, and that it is very little so the amount of gluten I ingested was small enough to not give me belly pains but just make me feel funny.

So angry at them!

Susan

I've posted to this topic more then anyone!! Sorry I couldn't consolidate it all! I was just reading on my peanut allergy list and found this about the new ingredient listings at McDonalds:

"I called McDonalds and was told that yes, this is true. There is milk/wheat in the 'natural' flavorings. They also said this is not a reformulation - that it was there all along. I'm not sure what to think, but if you want to call them for more information, their phone number is 877-623-3663 (provided by FAAN). I have also asked FAAN to look into it, since this isn't a change, it isn't an alert - it's part of the whole label declaration FALCPA."

Susan

I'm sorry to have been the one to have seen this.. (I'm getting nasty letters from 2 people that I guess couldn't see it and have said I'm crazy/making this up!!) .

I can only hope that it is some sort of error but, I'm not sure it is. When I go to the gluten free menu dated 2/3/06 it too lists the french fries as containing wheat and gluten. So I'm sorry to say I believe its true.

I guess i'm going to buy a fryer tomorrow so I can at least have french fries now and then, but it was just so easy to have McDonalds when traveling by car and at airports and such. When Celiac is so often in the news now its shocking to me that they did this.

Susan

The page with the wheat is clearly dated at the bottom as 2/3/06. It is brand new.

But I totally agee with the poster who said (can't remember who right now) its just potatoes why did they go screw them up??

Sigh. Susan

Yes be sure to refresh your page, its new, probably as of today. I am so sorry to break this news to you and I'm so upset, I URGE you all to write to them a contact us link is at the bottom of the web site.

susan (sorry for posting so much but I was upset that I was the only one that could see it)

Wow I can't believe it doesn't say wheat on your pages, i cleared all my history and cookies and went back again thru the main mcdonalds.com web site, again went to USA and it still says wheat. I can tell you it changed because I looked at this a few months ago and it did NOT say wheat and it does now. I'm in the USA so I'm not sure why I would get a different page then anyone else in the USA.

Wow this has me really upset! I wrote them a nasty letter!

Susan

ON the page I posted it clearly says wheat. the page is here:

Open Original Shared Link

to find it i went to mcdonalds.com then to USA then to nutrition then to ingredients.

I copied the ingredients for fries below:

French Fries:

Potatoes, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, natural flavor (beef, wheat and dairy sources), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (to preserve natural color). Breading set in vegetable oil. 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 wheat and milk ingredients.

Be sure that you have cleared your history as you may not have update to this page but pulling an old page up from your cache. Again I see it clearly.

Susan

Perhaps this has already been posted but I thought McDonald's fries were safe... at this web site for McDonalds USA ingredients it clearly says that the fries contain wheat ingredients! When did this change occur?

The french fries are listed about half way down the page and it clearly says:

natural flavor ( beef, wheat, dairy sources).

This was the only place I would eat french fries and now it looks like that is out.

the page is here:

Open Original Shared Link

Susan

Excellent I'm so glad to hear its helping her, its helping me a lot too and it says on the package insert it can take 2-4 weeks for the full effect, so I figure I'll feel even better in another couple of weeks.

You know my daughter needs to avoid gluten, when she eats it she gets a stomach ache, she is also allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. We are slowly weaning her off of gluten and its not as hard as you might think. She loves corn tortillas so we are using a lot more of those and I make the bread by Anna, they are wonderful and she loves them:

Open Original Shared Link

Kids can still snack on potato chips, there is a ton of gluten-free candy, corn chips, tortilla chips, pudding... really when you start to look there is so much gluten-free food available and a lot of it is good. She really doesn't miss much gluten food except pizza (we still have not found a pizza crust we like).

Again really glad to know your daughter is feeling better.

Susan

Well its nice to know I'm not alone is the diagnosis of this disease... but I'm sorry to hear your son has it. the list of foods I'm allergic too would knock you over, eating for me has become a challenge, but I'm coping. I'm doing a rotation diet to see if I actually react to the foods I've tested allergic too.

Susan