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Introduced in [[1949]], the french fries were cooked in a mixture of 93% beef [[tallow]] and 7% [[cottonseed oil]].<ref name='BT'>[[Eric Schlosser|Schlosser, Eric]] (2001). ''Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of All-American Meal''. Houghton Mifflin. {{ISBN|0-395-97789-4}}</ref><ref name="grace">{{cite news|last=Grace|first=Francie|date=5 June 2002|title=McDonald's Settles Beef Over Fries|work=CBS News|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/06/05/national/main511109.shtml|url-status=dead|access-date=4 May 2011|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729020325/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/06/05/national/main511109.shtml|archive-date=29 July 2012}}</ref>
Introduced in [[1949]], the french fries were cooked in a mixture of 93% beef [[tallow]] and 7% [[cottonseed oil]].<ref name='BT'>[[Eric Schlosser|Schlosser, Eric]] (2001). ''Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of All-American Meal''. Houghton Mifflin. {{ISBN|0-395-97789-4}}</ref><ref name="grace">{{cite news|last=Grace|first=Francie|date=5 June 2002|title=McDonald's Settles Beef Over Fries|work=CBS News|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/06/05/national/main511109.shtml|url-status=dead|access-date=4 May 2011|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729020325/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/06/05/national/main511109.shtml|archive-date=29 July 2012}}</ref>


In the 1950s, CEO and founder [[Ray Kroc]] established quality control measures for McDonald's suppliers, ensuring potatoes maintained a solids content within the optimal range of twenty to twenty-three percent.<ref name=NY>[https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2001/03/05/the-trouble-with-fries The Trouble With Fries]</ref> Kroc also pioneered the practice of "curing" the potatoes to convert sugars to starch, thus achieving consistently crisp French fries. This process involved storing potatoes at warm temperatures for several weeks.<ref name=NY/> Additionally, he introduced the "potato computer," developed by [[Louis Martino]], to calculate the precise cooking time for fries, based on the fluctuation of oil temperature during frying.<ref name=NY/>
In the 1950s, CEO and founder [[Ray Kroc]] established quality control measures for McDonald's suppliers, ensuring potatoes maintained a solids content within the optimal range of twenty to twenty-three percent.<ref name=NY>[https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2001/03/05/the-trouble-with-fries The Trouble With Fries]</ref> Kroc also pioneered the practice of "curing" the potatoes to convert sugars to starch, thus achieving consistently crisp French fries. This process involved storing potatoes at warm temperatures for several weeks.<ref name=NY/> Additionally, he introduced the "potato computer," developed by Louis Martino, to calculate the precise cooking time for fries, based on the fluctuation of oil temperature during frying.<ref name=NY/>


Subsequently, in 1967, [[Ray Kroc]] of McDonald's contracted the [[Simplot]] company to supply them with frozen fries, replacing fresh-cut potatoes.
Subsequently, in 1967, [[Ray Kroc]] of McDonald's contracted the [[Simplot]] company to supply them with frozen fries, replacing fresh-cut potatoes.
Line 11: Line 11:
In the late 1980s, [[Phil Sokolof]], a millionaire businessman who had suffered a heart attack at the age of 43, took out full-page newspaper ads in New York, Chicago, and other large cities accusing McDonald's menu of being a threat to American health, and asking them to stop using [[beef tallow]] to cook their [[french fries]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2004/apr/16/local/me-sokolof16|title=Phil Sokolof, 82; Used His Personal Fortune in Fight Against High-Fat Foods|date=April 16, 2004|author=Dennis McLellan|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=August 11, 2017|archive-date=August 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821024939/http://articles.latimes.com/2004/apr/16/local/me-sokolof16|url-status=live}}</ref>
In the late 1980s, [[Phil Sokolof]], a millionaire businessman who had suffered a heart attack at the age of 43, took out full-page newspaper ads in New York, Chicago, and other large cities accusing McDonald's menu of being a threat to American health, and asking them to stop using [[beef tallow]] to cook their [[french fries]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2004/apr/16/local/me-sokolof16|title=Phil Sokolof, 82; Used His Personal Fortune in Fight Against High-Fat Foods|date=April 16, 2004|author=Dennis McLellan|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=August 11, 2017|archive-date=August 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821024939/http://articles.latimes.com/2004/apr/16/local/me-sokolof16|url-status=live}}</ref>


After this sustained campaign, including by the [[National Heart Savers Association]] against [[saturated fat]]s and the beef tallow they were using<ref name="OriginalFormula" /><ref name="Formula47" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Saxon |first=Wolfgang |date=2004-04-17 |title=Phil Sokolof, 82, a Crusader Against Cholesterol, Is Dead |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/17/us/phil-sokolof-82-a-crusader-against-cholesterol-is-dead.html |access-date=2022-12-04 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>, in 1990 they switched to vegetable oil with beef flavouring<ref name='MC'>[https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mc-donalds-world-famous-fries-heres-how-they-evolved-in-the-past-50-years-163854625.html McDonald's world famous fries: Here's how they evolved in the past 50 years]</ref><ref name='BT'/>
After this sustained campaign, including by the [[Phil Sokolof|National Heart Savers Association]] against [[saturated fat]]s and the beef tallow they were using<ref name="OriginalFormula" /><ref name="Formula47" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Saxon |first=Wolfgang |date=2004-04-17 |title=Phil Sokolof, 82, a Crusader Against Cholesterol, Is Dead |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/17/us/phil-sokolof-82-a-crusader-against-cholesterol-is-dead.html |access-date=2022-12-04 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>, in 1990 they switched to vegetable oil with beef flavouring<ref name='MC'>[https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mc-donalds-world-famous-fries-heres-how-they-evolved-in-the-past-50-years-163854625.html McDonald's world famous fries: Here's how they evolved in the past 50 years]</ref><ref name='BT'/>


The "thin style" french fries have been popularised worldwide in large part by McDonald's and [[Burger King]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Popularization|date=21 April 2011 |url=https://www.today.com/food/how-time-fries-have-potatoes-outlived-their-potential-1C9005243|access-date=3 January 2018|publisher=today.com|archive-date=30 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030090642/https://www.today.com/food/how-time-fries-have-potatoes-outlived-their-potential-1C9005243|url-status=live}}</ref>
The "thin style" french fries have been popularised worldwide in large part by McDonald's and [[Burger King]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Popularization|date=21 April 2011 |url=https://www.today.com/food/how-time-fries-have-potatoes-outlived-their-potential-1C9005243|access-date=3 January 2018|publisher=today.com|archive-date=30 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030090642/https://www.today.com/food/how-time-fries-have-potatoes-outlived-their-potential-1C9005243|url-status=live}}</ref>

Revision as of 00:54, 28 April 2024

McDonald's french fries, marketed as World Famous Fries[1] are a french fries product at the fast food restaurant McDonald's.

History

McDonald's french fries alongside a chicken sandwich.

Introduced in 1949, the french fries were cooked in a mixture of 93% beef tallow and 7% cottonseed oil.[2][3]

In the 1950s, CEO and founder Ray Kroc established quality control measures for McDonald's suppliers, ensuring potatoes maintained a solids content within the optimal range of twenty to twenty-three percent.[4] Kroc also pioneered the practice of "curing" the potatoes to convert sugars to starch, thus achieving consistently crisp French fries. This process involved storing potatoes at warm temperatures for several weeks.[4] Additionally, he introduced the "potato computer," developed by Louis Martino, to calculate the precise cooking time for fries, based on the fluctuation of oil temperature during frying.[4]

Subsequently, in 1967, Ray Kroc of McDonald's contracted the Simplot company to supply them with frozen fries, replacing fresh-cut potatoes.

In the late 1980s, Phil Sokolof, a millionaire businessman who had suffered a heart attack at the age of 43, took out full-page newspaper ads in New York, Chicago, and other large cities accusing McDonald's menu of being a threat to American health, and asking them to stop using beef tallow to cook their french fries.[5]

After this sustained campaign, including by the National Heart Savers Association against saturated fats and the beef tallow they were using[6][7][8], in 1990 they switched to vegetable oil with beef flavouring[9][2]

The "thin style" french fries have been popularised worldwide in large part by McDonald's and Burger King.[10]

In 2008, McDonald's got rid of trans fats in both US and Canada markets.[9]

Product

McDonald's US fries are made using 19 ingredients which include dextrose, TBHQ, polydimethylsiloxane, citric acid, and sodium acid pyrophosphate.[11][12] As for their potatoes, non-GMO[13] russet and Shepody kinds are used.

As for the manufacturing process, the potatoes are first brought to the plant where they are mechanically cut, blanched, partially fried, flash-frozen, then shipped to individual restaurants of the franchise and served.[13]

McDonald's French Fries with Cheddar Sauce

See also

References

  1. ^ "World Famous Fries". McDonald's. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
  2. ^ a b Schlosser, Eric (2001). Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of All-American Meal. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-395-97789-4
  3. ^ Grace, Francie (5 June 2002). "McDonald's Settles Beef Over Fries". CBS News. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  4. ^ a b c The Trouble With Fries
  5. ^ Dennis McLellan (April 16, 2004). "Phil Sokolof, 82; Used His Personal Fortune in Fight Against High-Fat Foods". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference OriginalFormula was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Formula47 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Saxon, Wolfgang (2004-04-17). "Phil Sokolof, 82, a Crusader Against Cholesterol, Is Dead". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
  9. ^ a b McDonald's world famous fries: Here's how they evolved in the past 50 years
  10. ^ "Popularization". today.com. 21 April 2011. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  11. ^ "There are 19 Ingredients in Your McDonald's French Fries!". NDTV Food. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
  12. ^ Heasman, Chris (2017-05-31). "What's really in McDonald's french fries". Mashed.com. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
  13. ^ a b "McDonald's Reveals Exactly How Your Beloved Fries Are Made". ABC News. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
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