Are McDonalds Fries Vegetarian?

Mellor · 02-12-2009 02:37AM #1

Tar, whats the story with the animal fat in McDs fries thing.

(I think I know what it is, but want to make sure before I say they are/aren't ok)

Tar.Aldarion · 02-12-2009 03:22AM

Mellor wrote: »

Tar, whats the story with the animal fat in McDs fries thing.

(I think I know what it is, but want to make sure before I say they are/aren't ok)

Um I dunno much about it, seamuis posted that. I believe they use veg oil for their fries but have heard tehy use an animal derived product for flavouring them, dunno.

Mellor · 02-12-2009 04:09AM

Thats what I thought it was in relation to. They use something labeled as a "natural flavour" which turns out to be beef derived. There was a big lawsuit about it and they ended up paying out 10million, the veggie society got the bulk of it, Hindus the rest I think.

The thing is, afaik, this was (and still is) in relation to the fries in the US. The fries in ireland are labeled 100% potato. So they shouldn't have it.

So they wasn't any need to avoid frieds in irish McDs locations. (Here in Oz they add other things to the fries, but I don't know what they are exactly)

Tar.Aldarion · 02-12-2009 04:35AM

Dunno about Irish McDs, never eat there, but would be good to find out for others all right...I might have a look around. Are there reasons the ingredients vary so much in each country?

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 02-12-2009 05:57AM

Did you ever get mcdonalds chips and dip them in a mcflurry? It's lovely

Actually the chip and ice-cream combo in general is very nice, that's not even a good example of it.

DonnieScribbles wrote: »

The Irish Times has opened up it's digital archive for free for the next 2 weeks

I just checked the paper from my birthday, migratory birds were confused by the unseasonally warm weather!

It's here: http://www.irishtimes.com/150/

And they had sports news within the first three pages, mad...

Aaawwful lot of sports on my birthday as well! And then something about some IRA tv programme and hostages in Beirut. Don't see any mention of me anywhere on the front page actually, the site must be faulty...

Mellor · 02-12-2009 07:24AM

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Dunno about Irish McDs, never eat there, but would be good to find out for others all right...I might have a look around. Are there reasons the ingredients vary so much in each country?

I was 100% sure about the irish McDs.
I checked out the US and Aus stores, and the ingredients for each were different. I suppose it comes down to local tastes.

Ireland-Potato Cooked in Veg Oil
nice and simple, they way it should be link

Australia-Potato, Canola Oil & Sunflower Oil, Dextrose, Mineral Salt (450), Antioxidant (320). OR
Potato, Canola Oil Blend, Antioxidant (320), Food Acid (330), Antifoam (900a), Dextrose.

Those are pretty standard additives, the food acid is citric acid for example. Dextrose is a little worrying, as its basically sugar

USAPotatoes, 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.

Thats essentially the same as the Australia menu, salt sugar, citric acid, but with the addition of Beef flavour. The reason they add the beef flavour is because they were originally fried in a mostly beef oil mix. And when they switched to veg oil, people noticed the change.

So Irish (and australian) fries from McDonalds are vegan. Will probably make little notice to most people, but for the few that avoided based on the belief that had beef in them.

Mellor · 03-12-2009 01:23AM

sweet-rasmus wrote: »

hmmn, i think that's some sort of plastic. learnt about it in a polmers course anyhow. odd that it's being put in chips, but sure, with the rest in the ingredients, who's surprised?

Mind if we put all the McD stuff in it's own thread so people looking for info on it might easily find it?

Yeah its a good idea. When ever you get the chance yourself or Tar can move it out

sweet-rasmus · 03-12-2009 01:38AM

All done. Thanks for all the above info Mellor

Tar.Aldarion · 03-12-2009 01:41AM

Always wondered why you came out with big long posts at like 4--8am or soemthing, Australia makes sense, as does your location ^^

Mellor · 03-12-2009 06:19AM

sweet-rasmus wrote: »

All done. Thanks for all the above info Mellor

No worries.

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Always wondered why you came out with big long posts at like 4--8am or soemthing, Australia makes sense, as does your location ^^

lol, I thought you knew from the BBV

So if australia is my reason for 12-8am posting, what's yours?

Absurdum · 03-12-2009 07:59AM

Mellor wrote: »

So Irish (and australian) fries from McDonalds are vegan. Will probably make little notice to most people, but for the few that avoided based on the belief that had beef in them.

May I be a complete bastard and suggest that any business whose primary business is the killing of millions of animals is anything but veggie?

Mellor · 03-12-2009 08:08AM

Absurdum wrote: »

May I be a complete bastard and suggest that any business whose primary business is the killing of millions of animals is anything but veggie?

A bastard no, overly pedantic, yes.

Where did anybody say McDonalds was a veggie business or restaurant? It isn't, obviously.
I was just pointing out that the Irish fries are vegan. Many believed they weren't. I wasn't suggesting that you throw money at them. But, if you happen to be there after a night out with friends, at least you know you have side options beyond the garden salad.

Edit: Plus, anybody who was eating fries, now has it removed from the back of their mind

Slaphead07 · 03-12-2009 06:29PM

I don't think it's overly pedantic at all.
More than 90% of McD's business is killing and selling beef. The fries/pies/shakes might be meat free but the profits they make from selling them go into running one of the most vile (from a vegetarian/ecological point of view) businesses on what's left of the planet. I wouldn't buy a cup of tea from them.

ztoical · 03-12-2009 07:13PM

Slaphead07 wrote: »

I don't think it's overly pedantic at all.
More than 90% of McD's business is killing and selling beef. The fries/pies/shakes might be meat free but the profits they make from selling them go into running one of the most vile (from a vegetarian/ecological point of view) businesses on what's left of the planet. I wouldn't buy a cup of tea from them.

Not everyone is vegetarian for animal welfare/ecological reasons so while that might be a big reasons for not eating at McDonalds for some it might not be for others so nothing wrong with posting information on whats suitable for veggies/vegans on their menu in this forum. As Mellor said no one is promoting MacDonalds as a good veggie place to eat nor encouraging people to eat there.

Slaphead07 · 03-12-2009 07:21PM

ztoical wrote: »

Not everyone is vegetarian for animal welfare/ecological reasons so while that might be a big reasons for not eating at McDonalds for some it might not be for others so nothing wrong with posting information on whats suitable for veggies/vegans on their menu in this forum. As Mellor said no one is promoting MacDonalds as a good veggie place to eat nor encouraging people to eat there.

Agree 100% but my point is that it isn't overly pedantic to point out that just because a McD's product doesn't actually contain meat that doesn't automatically make it acceptable.

Mellor · 03-12-2009 11:24PM

Slaphead07 wrote: »

I don't think it's overly pedantic at all.
More than 90% of McD's business is killing and selling beef. The fries/pies/shakes might be meat free but the profits they make from selling them go into running one of the most vile (from a vegetarian/ecological point of view) businesses on what's left of the planet. I wouldn't buy a cup of tea from them.

Slaphead07 wrote: »

Agree 100% but my point is that it isn't overly pedantic to point out that just because a McD's product doesn't actually contain meat that doesn't automatically make it acceptable.

The reason I said it was pedantic was because anybody that feels that is aware if it and doesn't need to be told, it was also poorly phrased as I was hardy saying "McDonalds is an acceptable place". I was merely correcting a mistake that many believed to be true. I don't see what is wrong with that.

I do see your point, but this applies to all take-aways, not just McDonalds. If you choose not to eat their meat free options because of, for want of a better word, collateral damage it leads to, that's perfectly fine. But if you would still eat fries from a independent take-away (one whose business is mainly burgers/meat) then it's very hypocritical. They may not have the same global impact, but your contribution is the same.

For the record, I try not to eat anything McDs. Not for the reasons you listed, purely for health reasons.

Censorsh!t · 03-12-2009 11:47PM

I was wondering this for ages.

However, I'm not sure I would eat there anyway. Not because they sell mainly meat (I mean, it's not like it's the only place who sells a lot of meat), but more for their exploitation of forests through cattle grazing, and the whole thought of it being so unhealthy after watching Supersize Me.

But...I dunno about Irish firms contributing to the deforestation in S America, they do clain all their beef is Irish...

Tar.Aldarion · 04-12-2009 01:41AM

Mellor wrote: »

lol, I thought you knew from the BBV

So if australia is my reason for 12-8am posting, what's yours?

I live in hmm,, malaysia, yes, yes.
<_<

Absurdum · 04-12-2009 08:20AM

Mellor wrote: »

The reason I said it was pedantic was because anybody that feels that is aware if it and doesn't need to be told, it was also poorly phrased as I was hardy saying "McDonalds is an acceptable place". I was merely correcting a mistake that many believed to be true. I don't see what is wrong with that.

I do see your point, but this applies to all take-aways, not just McDonalds. If you choose not to eat their meat free options because of, for want of a better word, collateral damage it leads to, that's perfectly fine. But if you would still eat fries from a independent take-away (one whose business is mainly burgers/meat) then it's very hypocritical. They may not have the same global impact, but your contribution is the same.

For the record, I try not to eat anything McDs. Not for the reasons you listed, purely for health reasons.

Mellor wrote: »

Ireland-Potato Cooked in Veg Oil
nice and simple, they way it should be link

That sounds like you find them acceptable. In my opinion there is simply no comparison to be made between a local chipper and a global conglomerate regardless of the similar health risks posed by both. The growth of McDonalds alongside the rise of factory farming post WWII is no coincidence.

phic · 06-12-2009 07:44PM

Seen ice cream/shakes metioned in this thread, just thought I'd mention McD's shakes and ice cream contain pig gelatin so aren't actually vegetarian!
It was a few years ago when I checked that, so may have changed, but I'm pretty sure its still true..upsetting for all I know!

sweet-rasmus · 06-12-2009 07:55PM

thanks for telling us. i hadn't realised. can't eat dairy anyway, but i will pass on the info.

who is this · 07-12-2009 01:53AM

Irish site lists gums in the ingredients of icecream alright, but names them all explicitly and none are animal-derived so passing on that they use gelatin is a bit premature :P

Namely they are: guar gum, carageenan, and pectin.

phic · 08-12-2009 03:09PM

who is this wrote: »

Irish site lists gums in the ingredients of icecream alright, but names them all explicitly and none are animal-derived so passing on that they use gelatin is a bit premature :P

Namely they are: guar gum, carageenan, and pectin.

Well I did say it was a few years ago I checked, definitly had pig gelatin on the ingredients list at the time.
Glad to see it's gone! I would very rarely eat there anyway, nice to know I can have a milk shake if I do go there!

Are McDonalds Fries Vegetarian?

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