Questions answered
There are 30 questions about “Beef” in the “How do you operate?” topic.
Click on a question to read our answer.
- 1. Hello MacDonald! You write: "McDonald's only uses whole cuts of forequarter and flank of 100 percent beef (similar to the mince you’d buy in the supermarket)." 'Similar' is not the same as 'the same as', but similar, if you get my drift. So, from observing and mulling over the careful wording and placement of the word 'similar' in the sentence above, are we to deduce that the beef you use is not the same as the mince I'd buy in the supermarket? But rather, "similar"?
-
Firstly apologies for the delay in answering your question, the team has been very busy with all the questions that are pouring in and everybody is working hard to answer them all.
The word 'similar' is used because a supermarket will sell many different cuts of beef meat not, just cuts from the forequarter and flank like that used by McDonald's and possibly not from the same sources so in theory the meats are not exactly the same. McDonald's Hamburgers are made from 100 per cent beef from British and Irish farms. You might be interested to hear about our Quality Scout programme - Quality Scouts are 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 a thorough look behind the scenes at various aspects of 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. At the moment McDonald’s are not recruiting any new Quality Scouts, but this is an ongoing programme so please keep checking back for updates at the Make Up Your Own Mind site, at which time McDonald’s would welcome your application.
(November 2008)
Email this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 2. Your new Big Cheese & Bacon. What's a "3:1 beef patty"? I've heard it's the "shrinkage ratio" after cooking, is this true?
-
McDonald’s apologises for the delay in answering your question. As the site went through some technical updates and changes, some of the questions slipped through. However, everything is functioning better and your question has now been answered – Thank you for you patience. The sizes of McDonald’s beef patties have traditionally been measured by the number of uncooked beef patties that are made per pound (lb), old imperial weight. So, if you weigh the regular beef patty you will find that 10 patties weigh 1 lb, or 10:1. If you weigh the Quarter Pounder patty, you will find that 4 patties weigh 1 lb. This is where the name Quarter Pounder comes from, i.e. the patty is a quarter of a pound (lb). So in conclusion, for the 3:1 patty, 3 weigh a pound (lb) or, in metric terms, each patty has a target weight of 152g. Contrary to some claims, it has nothing to do with shrinkage - but we agree it is rather complicated!
Email this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 3. I just read the article about the Mcdonalds cows coming from the Wales farm, but what about the majority of cows that come from south america? What about the cows that aren't fed good grass and given proper diets? What about the cows that are smashed into little areas and walking over each other and being shot up with antibiotics which in turn harm the consumer? The cows there at Wales are probably only one percent or less of the true Mcdonalds cow!
-
McDonald’s apologises for the delay in answering your question. As the site went through some technical updates and changes, some of the questions slipped through. However, everything is functioning better and your question has now been answered – Thank you for you patience. This is the perfect time to reassure you of a few facts about McDonald's. Firstly, the welfare of animals’ matters to McDonald's and the company knows it matters to you. For this reason, McDonald's will not work with any supplier that does not adhere to the company's high standards, and those required by UK and EU legislation. To ensure that every step in the supply chain is monitored and that everyone lives up to these high standards, in 2002 the McDonald’s Agricultural Assurance Programme was set up. It is important to point out that McDonald's UK only uses beef sourced from British and Irish suppliers unless demand is very high, and then it imports from European countries such as Germany. It is over 20 years since the company imported beef from South America, and the use of growth hormones is banned under UK and EU legislation. Cows on McDonald's approved farms eat only a grass-based diet which might sometimes be supplemented with additional vitamins and cereals at certain times of the year when the goodness derived from grass has naturally declined. We are glad you discovered Jane's report from Wales, but you might be interested in looking at the other Quality Scout reports on how the animals are reared and fed; many of the Scouts asked exactly the same questions of the farmers.
Email this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 4. If the meat is of such good quality and goes through all these inspections how is it able to sold so cheap and if I go to a butcher the chicken is much more expensive. I've read books on cattle having steroids shot into their ears if your cattle does not recieve this treatment where does that cattle go to and get served at.
-
Firstly, many apologies for the very slow response to your question, as the site went through a few changes, some questions had slipped through the net, so thank you for your patience. The company has been trading since 1974 and, during this time, has worked hard to build up strong relationships with its suppliers. This plus the sheer purchasing power of McDonald's based on the volume required to serve over two million customers every day ensures that the best quality meat can be bought at the best possible price. The European Union does not allow the use of steroids in meat production; this has been prohibited since the late 1980s.
Email this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 5. How do you ensure that the burgers are made from 100% beef? Surely bits of dust and microscopic particles would fall on the burger. Do you use electrostatic technology to combat this or do you keep the burgers in a complete vacuum until the moment they are cooked?
-
Thank you for your question and sorry for the slow response - unfortunately your question seems to have slipped down our records.
Every measure, in line with McDonald's own Quality Assurance standards as well as European legislation, is taken to ensure that the patties are free from any contamination and are delivered in perfect condition. Equipment and the production premises are continually cleaned and all members of staff have to follow strict hygiene procedures also. Once the patties are formed and frozen, they are checked manually for any imperfections and then immediately covered, wrapped and packed to ensure that no contamination occurs through the supply chain. You might like to read a recently posted report from one of the Quality Scouts who visited the ESCA factory to check the very questions you've outlined, simply click on the ‘Meet The Scouts’ link where you will find a bounty of news, interview, pictures and videos.
Email this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 6. if your burgers are the same as any you can buy in the butchers, how is it that yours have a million calories compared with original burgers?
-
Sorry for the slow reply to your question, it seems that your question slipped through and the team apologises for any inconvenience that may have occurred.
There are not a million calories in any of McDonald's burgers. A Hamburger contains 250 KCals, while a Big Mac contains 495 KCals. The mince used to make McDonald's burger patties would have similar nutritional content to any that you might buy at the supermarket. However, just as when you prepare a meal at home, the nutritional content will alter as you add ingredients to the beef, such as sauces, seasoning or cheese. Find out more about the nutritional content of all McDonald's food at www.mcdonaldsmenu.info.
(September 2007)
Email this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 7. i work in McDonalds and noted one day that a box of meat said it was from germany but on this website you are telling customers that its 100% british ? thanks
-
Firstly apologies for the late reply, it is an exceptionally busy period here at Make Up Your Own Mind and the team are working hard to answer all questions.
There are very exceptional times when McDonald’s UK hamburger patty producers cannot make all the patties that are needed. An example would be the production plant needing to have maintenance and therefore being out of commission. In this case (and any other), there are procedures in place to ship the raw beef from the British Isles, and out to a sister processing plant in Germany. Once there, the patties are immediately made and then carefully transported back to the UK. Since the beef was prepared in Germany, McDonald’s are required by law to display this fact on its patty packaging. This protocol is very important, as any issues relating to traceability can be quickly investigated. You will also be interested to know that if you examine the patty packaging further, there will also be a message to say the actual beef is from the UK. McDonald's would not be seen to be saying one thing and doing another.
(October 2007)
Email this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 8. where/ what meat companys kill the cattle that goes to make your burgers
-
Apologies for the delay with your answer.
All cattle have to be slaughtered through approved licensed abattoirs. The beef that McDonald's use comes from facilities which are located around the British Isles, in areas close to where the cattle are raised.
(October 2007)
Email this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 9. I heard that burgers were made in third world countries and then shipped over to the UK and the burgers were kept warm for up to 3 days.... is this true? thanks rob
-
There is no truth in this. McDonald's UK sources the beef for its burgers from British and Irish farmers. Over 17,000 farmers expertly raise cattle for the company, to the highest standards. All beef is sourced from facilities that have been audited by both McDonald’s suppliers and independent auditors such as the European Food Safety Inspection Service. The burgers are freshly cooked between bespoke double-plated clamshell hotplates and then packaged and served immediately. Any food that is not sold after ten minutes is discarded.
(September 2007)
Email this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 10. my girlfriend says burgers are made mainly from cows i say mainly from bulls even a % answer would be good
-
Unfortunately, it's not a yes/no answer or one that can be answered as a percentage. In terms of McDonald's burgers, they are made from forequarter and flank cuts from young bulls, heifers (young female cattle) and steers (young castrated male cattle): all have to be under 30 months old to comply with EU and UK legislation. Beef from cows (female cattle over 30 months) and old bulls is not used. The latter are only kept on farms for breeding purposes. (July 2007)
Email this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 11. how does macdonalds support local farmers?
-
McDonald's UK makes it a policy to source its ingredients locally wherever possible. Last year over 17,000 British and Irish farmers supplied McDonald's with ingredients. In fact, over 70 percent of McDonald's annual food spend is with suppliers from the British Isles. Where it's not possible that ingredients can’t be bought from the UK, McDonald's tends to buy them from Europe and some from farther a field. You can rest assured McDonald's expects any supplier, UK or European, to meet the same very high standards of quality, safety and traceability. You can find more information about where McDonald's food comes from at www.mcdonalds.co.uk – click on ‘Eat Smart’ and then click on 'Our Food.'
(May 2007)
Email this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 12. you mention cows are minced within 5 days of slaughter. Why don't you let the meat hang for longer to improve the taste is this just for the quick proffit?
-
It has nothing to do with profit. The burgers are made from 100 percent minced beef meat which is then frozen to lock in the freshness. It is a legal requirement that mince is sold within six days of the cattle being slaughtered.
(June 2007)
Email this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 13. Your burgers are made from 100% beef. What I want to know is what quality beef are you using. Some cattle are reared and bred solely for producing meat (e.g. Aberdeen angus). Other cattle are reared and bred for milk production (e.g. Holstein or Jersey) . Do you use only cattle that are bred for meat production or do you use milk cattle as well? Do you use cattle that are of the prime age for slaughter or do you also use older cows, that may have been used for breeding etc?
-
In the UK, McDonald's only use beef from cattle under 30 months old. The cattle are specifically reared for beef production and can be from pure breeds and a combination of cross breeds. This could also include a cross bred Friesian or Holstein, for example, where the farmer has taken a decision to raise beef calves from his dairy herd.
(June 2007)
Email this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 14. Do you still use beef from South America? Does your beef contain growth hormones?
-
McDonald's UK only uses beef sourced from British and Irish unless demand is very high and then it imports from European countries such as Germany.
It is over 20 years since the company imported beef from South America. The use of growth hormones is banned under UK and EU legislation. Beef animals on McDonald's approved farms eat only a grass-based diet which might sometimes be supplemented with additional vitamins and cereals at certain times of the year when the goodness derived from grass has naturally declined. You might be interested in looking at one of the Quality Scout reports on how the animals are reared and fed; many of the Scouts asked exactly the same questions of the farmers. (April 2007)
Email this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 15. Hi there. Where it is clear the staple answer regarding the key cuts of meat are 'forequater and flank' I would like to know how simliar these 'cuts' are in relation to one found at a butchers/supermarket. Surely in order to minimise waste (maximise profit) some form of advanced meat removal system is utilised, therefore rendering the 'cuts' not quite of the quality one would expect from the butchers/supermarket? Many Thanks.
-
The forequarter and flank cuts McDonald's use are the same cuts of beef that the supermarkets use which they sell as mince, stewing, braising, rib roast etc. McDonald's UK does not use any rendered or recovered meat in their burgers. Just 100 per cent beef and nothing else. Quality will always remain McDonald's is a priority.
(June 2007)
Email this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon
