Hi All,
Did anyone notice that McDonald's fries are no longer GF, as of early February of this year? Here's a report on a lawsuit filed because of the change, and their alleged failure to properly inform the public of that change.
This is from the Old News Stories archives of Clan Thompson's celiac site. It was originally reported on April 6, 2006.
http://www.clanthompson.com/news_archiv ... egory_id=2
Oh well, I never did trust Mc Donald's anyway.
Tex
Lawsuit Filed Over McDonald's Fries (Which are No Longer GF)
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Lawsuit Filed Over McDonald's Fries (Which are No Longer GF)
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Welp, here's the "skinny" on this lawsuit.
What it is is that the product McD's buys from another provider is so processed that it technology no longer contains the protein fragments that celiacs and other react to, and thus, in that regard, shouldn't be a problem for the gs.
What needs to happen is for that supplier, and I wish I could remember the name of that stuff they cook them with from that supplier, but anyway, that supplier needs to get certification so that they can officially state that this product they sell to McD's is gf.
A great many celiacs are upset about this lawsuit as McD's has apparently been very helpful to celiacs in the past as a corporation.
The fear that I have heard is that if these lawsuits keep occurring, they and companies like them may just go ahead and deliberately add an ingredient that's definitely got gluten in it so that they can state it clearly as non-gf according to the ingredients list. That way, they won't have any liability for someone getting gluten.
As some of you may remember, I had a reaction to a bunless burger and fries in Kerrville when I was there last Fall. Since this stuff they make the fries with is supposed to also have dairy, it makes me wonder whether the dairy part is NOT so processed that the relevant part of the casein is still present. I'll have to see if this is mentioned in the article Tex just posted, but if not, for emergencies on the road, I'd better check with the company soon, just in case.
Like I mentioned, if this supplier will just go through the certification process, that would solve the whole thing.
Still, I think it's a shame that some kids are eating soooo much of this processed kind of stuff so frequently instead of good, healthy home cooked meals.
The way it was explained to me, this is an example of how, by following the letter of the new food labeling law in listing the ingredients as this stuff is made from wheat and dairy, which is apparently why they changed the listing in February, they are being punished for obeying that new law. If they'd not obeyed it, the lawsuit probably wouldn't have come about. This explanation comes directly from someone very high up in CSA, by the way. We'll have to wait and see what all falls out of this court case.
Yours, Luce
What it is is that the product McD's buys from another provider is so processed that it technology no longer contains the protein fragments that celiacs and other react to, and thus, in that regard, shouldn't be a problem for the gs.
What needs to happen is for that supplier, and I wish I could remember the name of that stuff they cook them with from that supplier, but anyway, that supplier needs to get certification so that they can officially state that this product they sell to McD's is gf.
A great many celiacs are upset about this lawsuit as McD's has apparently been very helpful to celiacs in the past as a corporation.
The fear that I have heard is that if these lawsuits keep occurring, they and companies like them may just go ahead and deliberately add an ingredient that's definitely got gluten in it so that they can state it clearly as non-gf according to the ingredients list. That way, they won't have any liability for someone getting gluten.
As some of you may remember, I had a reaction to a bunless burger and fries in Kerrville when I was there last Fall. Since this stuff they make the fries with is supposed to also have dairy, it makes me wonder whether the dairy part is NOT so processed that the relevant part of the casein is still present. I'll have to see if this is mentioned in the article Tex just posted, but if not, for emergencies on the road, I'd better check with the company soon, just in case.
Like I mentioned, if this supplier will just go through the certification process, that would solve the whole thing.
Still, I think it's a shame that some kids are eating soooo much of this processed kind of stuff so frequently instead of good, healthy home cooked meals.
The way it was explained to me, this is an example of how, by following the letter of the new food labeling law in listing the ingredients as this stuff is made from wheat and dairy, which is apparently why they changed the listing in February, they are being punished for obeying that new law. If they'd not obeyed it, the lawsuit probably wouldn't have come about. This explanation comes directly from someone very high up in CSA, by the way. We'll have to wait and see what all falls out of this court case.
Yours, Luce
Luce,
That's not what the article says.
This is another case of "natural flavoring" causing problems for gluten sensitive individuals, and not being properly disclosed in the first place. I seriously doubt that the supplier will obtain certification, because I doubt that the product is always GF and CF. Undisclosed "natural flavors" suck.
It may just be a coincidence, but I've eaten McDonald's fries only once in the past ten years, and the day after that experience, I was sick as a dog, with world class D. This happened a couple of years ago, when I was still healing. Today, for all I know, I might be able to tolerate them, but I'll never know, because I'll never eat them again.
I believe that some of us are more sensitive than others, and that sensitivity probably varies according to time and circumstances, but that's just a matter of degree. If you're going to allow small amounts of gluten in your diet, where do you draw the line? Personally, I think it should be drawn as close to zero as possible, and that means no "natural flavors" with minute traces of gluten.
You got sick--I got sick. Hello! Does that inspire confidence in this stuff? If traces of casein are still in there, why would you think that traces of gluten do not remain also?
If McDonald's really wanted to be "helpful" to celiacs, they would never use ingredients like that, in the first place. Trying to get the stuff certified as safe, wouldn't solve the problem, it would just sweep it under the rug. At least that's the way I see it.
Tex
P S I apologize for goring one of your favorite oxen--I know how much you love McDonald's fries, but it kinda ticks me off when I get sick after eating something that was represented as safe. You know?
That's not what the article says.
This is another case of "natural flavoring" causing problems for gluten sensitive individuals, and not being properly disclosed in the first place. I seriously doubt that the supplier will obtain certification, because I doubt that the product is always GF and CF. Undisclosed "natural flavors" suck.
It may just be a coincidence, but I've eaten McDonald's fries only once in the past ten years, and the day after that experience, I was sick as a dog, with world class D. This happened a couple of years ago, when I was still healing. Today, for all I know, I might be able to tolerate them, but I'll never know, because I'll never eat them again.
I believe that some of us are more sensitive than others, and that sensitivity probably varies according to time and circumstances, but that's just a matter of degree. If you're going to allow small amounts of gluten in your diet, where do you draw the line? Personally, I think it should be drawn as close to zero as possible, and that means no "natural flavors" with minute traces of gluten.
You got sick--I got sick. Hello! Does that inspire confidence in this stuff? If traces of casein are still in there, why would you think that traces of gluten do not remain also?
If McDonald's really wanted to be "helpful" to celiacs, they would never use ingredients like that, in the first place. Trying to get the stuff certified as safe, wouldn't solve the problem, it would just sweep it under the rug. At least that's the way I see it.
Tex
P S I apologize for goring one of your favorite oxen--I know how much you love McDonald's fries, but it kinda ticks me off when I get sick after eating something that was represented as safe. You know?
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Wayne,
Where on earth did you get the idea that I like their fries??? When I ate those in Kerrville, it was because the touristy town that we'd hit after 2 PM west of LBJ's ranch rolled up the carpet at all the eateries in town, so the McD's was the first fast food joint that we encountered. My traveling companion was about to faint, so we had to stop there or die! Ha! I was starving as well -- she had eaten ALL my gf cookies! Ha!
The actual product that comes from wheat and dairy is not made by McD's. I can't remember now what this person in the know told me, but I'll have to ask her next time I see her if that company had even informed McD's as to what they'd used to make the stuff.
Personally, I avoid just about anything processed very much unless I'm literally starving, so that lets out burger joints, but it's not just the allergies and contamination that causes me to do that, it's alllll the long lists of ingredients for something that should just say "hamburger" when stating what's in a patty.
This CSA official told me that many companies are already deliberately adding wheat additives just so that they can list wheat in their ingredients, so this is not theoretical.
I'll also have to ask her whether or not they were using the standard testing (which, as you know, may not be accurate enough for the most sensitive).
Whatever the outcome, just the risk of contamination alone would keep me from eating at most restaurants with any frequency at all, due to the fact that getting a little hidden contamination frequently is probably much worse for us than having an occasional accidental ingestion. I have the few places where I'm sure it's safe to eat well instructed and checked out here, close to home, but on the road, that's impossible, partcularly in small towns with Mom and pop type restaurants.
The last time I traveled overnight was to Dallas with my sister and mom to Dr. Fine's conference, and this time, we didn't rely on fast food joints, but rather took along some allergen-free turkey slices, Larabars, rice bars, fruit, nuts, etc. We bought cokes as we owed 'em that for use of their wheelchair friendly restrooms, and that was about it. Oh, and there was one exception, we stopped at a Wendy's before those became scarce in the country, and had baked potatoes and a salad using a little chili as a dressing for both.
And that is the extent of my use of fast food in over a year. Since I'm home bound with Mom, I'm sure not going to go to all the trouble to get her ready and load her and a wheelchair in the car just to eat junk food. I've gotten spoiled, actually, by eating only good stuff, even if I have to cook it myself.
Just thought I'd let you know that I have no vested interest in McD's or anyone's fries, but they MIGHT keep me alive one day on the road.
I will update this group as more primary source stuff becomes available. You know how lawyers have a way of uncovering new evidence in these big cases, so anything may develop.
Yours, Luce
Where on earth did you get the idea that I like their fries??? When I ate those in Kerrville, it was because the touristy town that we'd hit after 2 PM west of LBJ's ranch rolled up the carpet at all the eateries in town, so the McD's was the first fast food joint that we encountered. My traveling companion was about to faint, so we had to stop there or die! Ha! I was starving as well -- she had eaten ALL my gf cookies! Ha!
The actual product that comes from wheat and dairy is not made by McD's. I can't remember now what this person in the know told me, but I'll have to ask her next time I see her if that company had even informed McD's as to what they'd used to make the stuff.
Personally, I avoid just about anything processed very much unless I'm literally starving, so that lets out burger joints, but it's not just the allergies and contamination that causes me to do that, it's alllll the long lists of ingredients for something that should just say "hamburger" when stating what's in a patty.
This CSA official told me that many companies are already deliberately adding wheat additives just so that they can list wheat in their ingredients, so this is not theoretical.
I'll also have to ask her whether or not they were using the standard testing (which, as you know, may not be accurate enough for the most sensitive).
Whatever the outcome, just the risk of contamination alone would keep me from eating at most restaurants with any frequency at all, due to the fact that getting a little hidden contamination frequently is probably much worse for us than having an occasional accidental ingestion. I have the few places where I'm sure it's safe to eat well instructed and checked out here, close to home, but on the road, that's impossible, partcularly in small towns with Mom and pop type restaurants.
The last time I traveled overnight was to Dallas with my sister and mom to Dr. Fine's conference, and this time, we didn't rely on fast food joints, but rather took along some allergen-free turkey slices, Larabars, rice bars, fruit, nuts, etc. We bought cokes as we owed 'em that for use of their wheelchair friendly restrooms, and that was about it. Oh, and there was one exception, we stopped at a Wendy's before those became scarce in the country, and had baked potatoes and a salad using a little chili as a dressing for both.
And that is the extent of my use of fast food in over a year. Since I'm home bound with Mom, I'm sure not going to go to all the trouble to get her ready and load her and a wheelchair in the car just to eat junk food. I've gotten spoiled, actually, by eating only good stuff, even if I have to cook it myself.
Just thought I'd let you know that I have no vested interest in McD's or anyone's fries, but they MIGHT keep me alive one day on the road.
I will update this group as more primary source stuff becomes available. You know how lawyers have a way of uncovering new evidence in these big cases, so anything may develop.
Yours, Luce