Not long after disclosing that its french
fries contain more trans fat than thought, McDonald's
Corp. said that wheat and dairy ingredients are used to
flavor the popular menu item — an acknowledgment
it had not previously made.
The presence of those substances can cause allergic or
other medical reactions in food-sensitive consumers.
McDonald's had said until recently that its fries were
free of gluten and milk or wheat allergens and safe to
eat for those with dietary issues related to the consumption
of dairy items. But the fast-food company quietly added
"Contains wheat and milk ingredients" this month to the
french fries listing on its Web site.
The company said the move came in response to new rules
by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
for the packaged foods industry, including one requiring
that the presence of common allergens such as milk, eggs,
wheat, fish or peanuts be reported. As a restaurant operator,
Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald's does not have to comply
but is doing so voluntarily.
McDonald's director of global nutrition, Cathy Kapica,
said its potato suppliers remove all wheat and dairy proteins,
such as gluten, which can cause allergic reactions. But
the flavoring agent in the cooking oil is a derivative
of wheat and dairy ingredients, and the company decided
to note their presence because of the FDA's stipulation
that potential allergens be disclosed.
"We knew there were always wheat and dairy derivatives
in there, but they were not the protein component," she
said. "Technically there are no allergens in there. What
this is an example of is science evolving" and McDonald's
responding as more is learned, she said.
While the company wanted to make consumers aware that
fries were derived in part from wheat and dairy sources,
she said, those who have eaten the product without problem
should be able to continue to do so without incident.
The acknowledgment has stirred anger and some concern
among consumers who are on gluten-free diets since it
was posted on McDonald's Web site.
"If they're saying there's wheat and dairy derivatives
in the oil, as far as anyone with this disease is concerned
there's actually wheat in it," said New York resident
Jillian Williams, one of more than 2 million Americans
with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered
by gluten.
"They should have disclosed that all along," she said.
"They should never have been calling them gluten-free."
It's not the first time McDonald's forthrightness has
been called into question concerning what's in its famous
fries.
The company paid $10 million in 2002 to settle a lawsuit
by vegetarian groups after it was disclosed that its fries
were cooked in beef-flavored oil despite the company's
insistence in 1990 that it was abandoning beef tallow
for pure vegetable oil.
Last February, it paid $8.5 million to settle a suit
by a nonprofit advocacy group accusing the company of
misleading consumers by announcing plans in September
2002 to change its cooking oil but then delaying the switch
indefinitely within months. Reluctant to change the taste
of a top-selling item, McDonald's has continued to maintain
for the past three years that testing continues.
Asked about the status of those efforts, Kapica said:
"It's a very high priority and we are very committed to
continuing with testing and lowering the level of trans
fat without raising the level of saturated fat. ... It's
a lot harder than we originally thought but that is not
stopping us."
