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There are 6 questions about “Hydrogenated oil” in the “What are you doing about...” topic.

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1. do you have any plans to make the partially hydogenated rapeseed oil used for frying totally non hydrogenated in the near future ?
McDonald`s has some good news for you! McDonald’s UK is now using a new non-hydrogenated cooking oil in its restaurants, substantially reducing the levels of Trans Fatty Acids in many of its most popular products. The new blend of sunflower and rapeseed oil was introduced to all 1214 McDonald’s restaurants across the UK during April, eight months ahead of schedule, as part of a Europe-wide move by McDonald’s to reduce the TFA content of cooking oil in all its restaurants. The new oil has been developed without raising the saturated fat content or altering the taste, which research has shown is important to customers. The trans fatty acid content of the new cooking oil is less than two per cent, which means the levels found in popular foods such as French fries, Chicken McNuggets and apple pies will be significantly reduced. Work is now under way to remove hydrogenated oil, where present, from own-brand products by the end of the year. (May 2007) FEBRUARY '08 UPDATE: McDonald’s UK now do not use any hydrogenated oil in any food items across the entire menu

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2. Many people who are interested in health and nutrition have long known that hydrogenated vegetable oils are potential killers. What are you doing about your products that contain such harmful substances? Mainstream supermarkets are phasing them out.
Good news, McDonald's UK is now using a new non-hydrogenated cooking oil in its restaurants, substantially reducing the levels of Trans Fatty Acids in many of its most popular products. The new blend of sunflower and rapeseed oil was introduced to all 1214 McDonald’'s restaurants across the UK during April, eight months ahead of schedule, as part of a Europe-wide move by McDonald’s to reduce the TFA content of cooking oil in all its restaurants. The new oil has been developed without raising the saturated fat content or altering the taste, which research has shown is important to customers. The trans fatty acid content of the new cooking oil is less than two per cent, which means the levels found in popular foods such as French Fries, Chicken McNuggets and Apple Pies will be significantly reduced. Work is now under way to remove hydrogenated oil, where present, from own-brand products by the end of the year. (May 2007) McDonald’s Fries are just like the other menu choices: made with care and attention plus quality ingredients ensures that food tastes as good as possible. The French Fries are made from three different types of potato: Russett Burbank, Shepody and Pentland Dell. These potatoes are not just grown for their flavour, but also their uniquely long shape. They’re cooked in partially hydrogenated 100 percent rapeseed oil and then lightly salted after cooking. At the beginning of the potato season the fries may be given a light coating with dextrose to help them brown properly. This is only to compensate for the low natural sugar level in young potatoes. FEBRUARY '08 UPDATE: McDonald’s UK now do not use any hydrogenated oil in any food items across the entire menu.

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3. Why do you still use partially hydrogenated oil when there is so much controversy surrounding its affects to health? Surely a company who is actively looking to increase it's image on healthy eating would choose to use a healthier alternative
The use of partially hydrogenated 100 percent rapeseed oil with its associated trans fats remains an ongoing project for McDonald's, and finding alternative cooking oils is a priority for the company. The challenge is not just to reduce the trans fat levels to an absolute minimum, but also the saturated fats as well. Current alternatives sometimes give a reduction in one, but only by increasing the other. However, recent McDonald's research with new oils has been extremely encouraging, and the company is hoping this could prove an answer to both the trans and saturated fat levels in the very near future. It does, of course, depend on crop harvests to provide a sufficient volume of oil for restaurants to use. The company is working to make the changes as soon as it can. JULY '07 UPDATE: McDonald's UK now uses a new non-hydrogenated, GM free cooking oil. This reduces the levels of Trans Fatty Acids (TFAs) to their lowest possible levels - less than two percent (naturally occurring TFAs make it impossible to reach zero percent). The oil (a blend of sunflower and rapeseed) has been carefully developed to ensure it does not raise saturated fat content, or change the taste. McDonald’s Fries are just like the other menu choices: made with care and attention plus quality ingredients ensures that food tastes as good as possible. The French Fries are made from three different types of potato: Russett Burbank, Shepody and Pentland Dell. These potatoes are not just grown for their flavour, but also their uniquely long shape. They’re cooked in partially hydrogenated 100 percent rapeseed oil and then lightly salted after cooking. At the beginning of the potato season the fries may be given a light coating with dextrose to help them brown properly. This is only to compensate for the low natural sugar level in young potatoes. FEBRUARY '08 UPDATE: McDonald’s UK now do not use any hydrogenated oil in any food items across the entire menu.

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4. Why do you continue to use partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (trans fats) when the overwhelming evidence is that they are damaging to human health?
McDonald’s UK is now using a new non-hydrogenated cooking oil in its restaurants, substantially reducing the levels of Trans Fatty Acids in many of its most popular products. The new blend of sunflower and rapeseed oil was introduced to all 1214 McDonald’s restaurants across the UK during April, eight months ahead of schedule, as part of a Europe-wide move by McDonald’s to reduce the TFA content of cooking oil in all its restaurants. The new oil has been developed without raising the saturated fat content or altering the taste, which research has shown is important to customers. The trans fatty acid content of the new cooking oil is less than two per cent, which means the levels found in popular foods such as French fries, Chicken McNuggets and apple pies will be significantly reduced. Work is now under way to remove hydrogenated oil, where present, from own-brand products by the end of the year. (May 2007) McDonald’s Fries are just like the other menu choices: made with care and attention plus quality ingredients ensures that food tastes as good as possible. The French Fries are made from three different types of potato: Russett Burbank, Shepody and Pentland Dell. These potatoes are not just grown for their flavour, but also their uniquely long shape. They’re cooked in partially hydrogenated 100 percent rapeseed oil and then lightly salted after cooking. At the beginning of the potato season the fries may be given a light coating with dextrose to help them brown properly. This is only to compensate for the low natural sugar level in young potatoes. FEBRUARY '08 UPDATE: McDonald’s UK now do not use any hydrogenated oil in any food items across the entire menu.

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5. Hydrogenated fat is banned in Denmark,and they have mcdonalds that serve fries. Yet Macdonalds still uses it in the u.k why?
You will be pleased to know that McDonald’s UK is now using a new non-hydrogenated cooking oil in its restaurants, substantially reducing the levels of Trans Fatty Acids in many of its most popular products. The new blend of sunflower and rapeseed oil was introduced to all 1214 McDonald’s restaurants across the UK during April, eight months ahead of schedule, as part of a Europe-wide move by McDonald’s to reduce the TFA content of cooking oil in all its restaurants. The new oil has been developed without raising the saturated fat content or altering the taste, which research has shown is important to customers. (May 2007) DECEMBER '07 UPDATE: McDonald's French Fries are now fully accredited by the Vegetarian Society. FEBRUARY '08 UPDATE: McDonald’s UK now do not use any hydrogenated oil in any food items across the entire menu.

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6. Why do McD not enforce the same European standards in UK for oil in terms of polar contaminants and free fatty acids. Stores have the Ebro system but nobody uses them.
Some countries have passed legislation that determines the exact polar compound and free fatty acids. The UK does not currently follow such legislation, but we do have limits that we have set for polar compounds. Each restaurant will check their oil daily using the Ebro kit and must ensure that oil is thrown away if it exceeds these limits, as this can affect the quality of the fried products.

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