Questions answered
There are 12 questions about “Beef” in the “How do you make...” topic.
Click on a question to read our answer.
- 1. You regularly claim that your burgers contain no hormones, 1. how and why do farmers get rid of the cows natural growth hormones 2.how do you get any beef from such cows.
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McDonald’s is referring to hormones that would not already naturally exist in cattle, such as growth hormones injected into a cow in order to speed its growth and increase its mass. Antibiotic growth promoters or hormones such as these are strictly forbidden by the requirements of McDonald’s Agriculture Assurance Programme (MAAP). Additionally the use of growth hormones is banned under UK and EU legislation. The Company’s UK beef cattle are sourced from UK and Ireland and fed on a diet of grass, root crops and cereals. Only whole cuts of forequarter and flank are used in McDonald’s beef patties, similar to what you might buy in a supermarket. It's prepared by skilled butchers and then minced as it would be by any butcher, only on a larger scale. The mince is then made into patties, immediately frozen to seal in the freshness, and packed for distribution. If you want to find out more about how McDonald’s sources and produces its food, why not follow the progress of the McDonald’s Quality Scouts on this web site? Simply follow the ‘Quality Scout’ link on this website.
(July 2008)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 2. where are your cows and chickens slaughtered and how do they slaughter them??
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McDonald's is in the business of making and serving food, primarily non-vegetarian food and as such the death of cattle and chickens is an unavoidable part of this. McDonald’s source cattle through suppliers from a number of abattoirs throughout the British Isles. These are strategically locating in cattle-producing parts of the country. Meanwhile the chicken farmers who supply McDonald's chicken are accredited by the nationally recognised Farm Assurance Scheme – Assured Chicken Production (ACP). They rear the chickens in barns which are monitored to the standards set by the ACP. Each animal is stunned prior to slaughter and do not feel anything during the procedure. McDonald’s has standards in place that are continually monitored to ensure that the slaughter of animals is carried out in a humane and compassionate manner by qualified personnel and under veterinary supervision. You can get an inside view and more information by viewing or reading one of the reports by the Quality Scouts that have visited some of the farms and suppliers that McDonald's work with. Just click on the 'Quality Scouts' link on this site to find out more.
(July 2008)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 3. You state that the meat you use in your patties is 100% beef. Many Major coorporations such as yours twist words or statistics in order to portray a message that is not accurate. I am curious. Perhaps you say, 100% beef, and this is true for the proportion of the burger that is actually meat. In which case the patties must consist of something besides beef. If so, what do the patties contain. Please include any cuts of beef aside from those regularly consumed e.g. eyes, organs, genitals, hoofs.
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McDonald's is not trying to twist any words or portray inaccurate messages, the beef is sourced from cattle within the UK and Ireland, with only whole cuts of forequarter and flank used, similar to what you might buy in a supermarket. It's prepared by skilled butchers and then minced as it would be by any butcher, only on a larger scale. The mince is then made into patties, immediately frozen to seal in the freshness, and packed for distribution. When the patties arrive at a restaurant, they're cooked on a bespoke grill, using two-sided hot plates so no extra fat is added during cooking, it’s that simple, no hooves, eyes, genitals or organs, just the whole cuts of forequarter and flank. You don’t take McDonald’s word for it. You can follow the investigations of the independent Quality Scouts to see how they're made – they're members of the general public from around the UK who are curious about McDonald's business and its food. They're not paid, and have no ties to the company. They take an honest, behind the scenes look at McDonald's and report back exactly what they see and hear. Just click on the 'Quality Scout' link on this site to find out more.
(June 2008)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 4. Can you state unequivically that there are less than pieces of 100 diferent cows in a McDonald's burger? less than 300? less than 1000? less than 50? a guess would be okay too.
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McDonald's is not going to make a guess at this. The burgers are made from mince, and like mince from large food companies, your local butcher or supermarket, there might be beef from more than one animal in a patty. In the same way that there is milk from more than one cow in a bottle of milk and wheat from more than one head of wheat in a packet of flour, there is beef from more than one animal in a patty. Approved abattoirs deliver bulk amounts of forequarter and flank cuts from approximately 1000 different cattle per day to the company that makes beef patties for McDonald's UK. This beef is then minced in large mincing machines similar to your local butcher. It is therefore impossible to determine how many different cattle the beef has come from in one single beef patty when all the beef is minced together. This is normal practice for companies of a large size and is similar to what you buy at your local supermarket.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 5. Do you buy your beef "on-the-bone" and carry out the "boning-out" yourself.........or do you sub-contact the boning-out............in other premises???
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All the beef McDonald’s uses is delivered to McDonald’s suppliers deboned. Once it has been cut and prepared by skilled butchers, it is then minced, made in to the beef patties, frozen and sent to McDonald’s restaurants. McDonald’s does not carry out any of the deboning or produce the beef patties. The patties are made to very exacting specifications by contracted suppliers. All of McDonald’s beef can be traced back to the farms from where it came, via everyone involved (the transporter, the abattoir, the butchers and the suppliers).
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 6. In all your answers as to the composition of your burgers you say:"similar to the mince you'd buy in the supermarket". I notice you say similar not the same, in what way does it differ to meat from a supermarket/butcher
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When saying similar to other mince, McDonald's is referring to the fact that when you look at minced beef available to buy in a supermarket, there are several different types, so it is difficult to say that the composition of a McDonald's burger is the same because there are a variety of comparisons. However, you can rest assured that the quality of the mince used by McDonald's is equal to the best mince sold in shops.
(September 2007)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 7. who supply the mcdonalds meat?
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Thanks for the question. McDonald's sources the beef for its patties from over 16,000 farmers from UK and Ireland. All pork is also sourced from the UK. Chicken comes from farms in the UK and Brazil, all of whom must adhere to the directives set out in the Assured Chicken Production (ACP) scheme, which controls all aspects of chicken farming including feed and animal welfare. The fish used by McDonald's is Hoki and is sourced through Marine Stewardship Council certified fisheries from the seas around New Zealand. You can find out more information about McDonald's food by clicking on the ‘Quality Scout’ link on this site. The independent Quality Scouts are members of the public who have an interest in McDonald's and its food. The Scouts are unpaid and have no ties to the company. They go behind the scenes and take an honest look at some of the suppliers who work with McDonald's and report back on their findings. You can read interviews and reports and watch video diary footage discussing in detail what they saw.
(September 2007)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 8. Are McDonalds burgers made from 100% beef; from whole cuts of forequarter and flank, similar to the mince I might buy in the supermarket; perhaps with a pinch of salt and pepper added after cooking? I don't think this has been covered yet.
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Yes, that is spot on. (June 2007)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 9. HOW DO YOU CLAIM THAT YOUR HAMBURGER PATTIES ARE MADE FROM 100 PERCENT BEEF, IN GOOD CONSCIENCE?
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They are absolutely that. 100% beef. You should go to the 'Quality Scout' page on this site to find out more about how McDonald's sources the beef for its Hamburgers. Also visit www.mcdonalds.co.uk, click on the 'Eat Smart' link and then navigate to the 'Our Food' link and click to find out more about McDonald's food.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 10. Why are McDonalds bugers grey on the inside? When I make a burger it is normally light brown and slightly pink in the middle.
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The beef patties are cooked, without added fat or oil, between hot plates that cook the patties from both sides - a similar cooking process to the grilling machines that are sold in a variety of kitchenware stores. McDonald's sells millions of burgers, and millions of customers enjoy eating them every day. (June 2007)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 11. How long does it take from slaughter date till the beef arrives in the restaurants, on average?
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The beef will be minced within three to five days of the animal's slaughter. The patties are then quick frozen to lock in the meat quality and within two to three weeks it will be with a restaurant.
(June 2007)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 12. I am a life long vegitarian and don't know what 'whole cuts of flank and forequarter' means. Could you please enlighten me?
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The forequarter and flank are indeed the only parts of the cow that McDonald's uses. They are the areas at the front shoulders and sides of the animal, and they provide the cuts known as neck, fore rib, breast, chuck tenderloin, shoulder, shank, prime rib and flank. You can find more information regarding all the food on the McDonald's menu at www.mcdonalds.co.uk. Just click on the 'Eat Smart' section and visit the `Our food` link. (June 2007)
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