At 12:26 PM -0400 12/15/97, Don Wiss wrote:

>The following reply was written by Bill Elkus <[log in to unmask]>:
>
>P & M Clark <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>>Last week I heard that Burger King has announced new cripier
>>fries which has JUST been released.  Has anyone called them
>>or have their phone number to find out what is in them?
>
>I am one of the listowners of the CELIAC list, also here at StJohns, and
>have been the informal liason to Burger King.  The new fries were
>specifically formulated to be free of milk, egg, and gluten.  They are
>coated with potato starch.  I don't have a complete list of ingredients,
>but if you call BK's consumer information line, ask for Kim Miller, who is
>the fries expert.
>
>With any french fry serving, one must be careful about cross contamination.
>If it is fried in the same oil with a prohibited product, you could get
>enough of the prohibited ingredient to impact your body.  For celiacs, this
>means the oil cannot be used for onion rings or other breaded products.
>Both Burger King and McDonalds are designed so that this cross
>contamination does not occur, but that does not guarantee that every unit
>in the chain follows the design 24 hours a day, so check with your local
>manager first.

Good suggestions.  An update:

From the BK "Fry facts" webpage (
http://www.burgerking.com/company/fryfacts.htm )  as of 1/13/98.
Curiously, fries still do not appear on the ingredients list page...

"The fries are potato on the outside and potato on the inside. A new secret
recipe makes the great-tasting fries crispier and seals in heat so they
stay hotter longer.

The new fries are cooked in 100% vegetable shortening and do not contain
common allergens such as whey
              and gluten."