<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

These comments were made in two recent posts regarding McDonalds:

1> McDonalds will add all the condiments- unknown ketchup, a pickle of
1> unknown vinegar origin, and perhaps some kind of mayonnaise mystery
1> sauce. None of those items have been verified as GF, and may be
1> changed without any notification to you ie glutenous THIS week.

2> McDonald's may use the same suppliers on a fairly long-term basis,
2> but who knows how often those suppliers are changing the
2> ingredients....All of the condiments--ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise,
2> pickles--have vinegar....Also, even though a well-known company may
2> be making those condiments, do we know for sure whether the
2> condiments are exactly the same as what you buy on the grocery
2> store shelf?

McDonald's will send a list of all of their products, split into two
categories:  Those that are gluten-free (GF), and those that are not.
It is very specific, and in the past has been kept up-to-date.  The
only thing that I would have criticized in the past was the fact that
their french fries were listed as being GF and their hash browns were
not--even though they were cooked in the same oil.  However, my
understanding is that the hash browns are now also GF, so their fries
are now okay so long as nothing else is fried in the same oil.  The
policy is to keep these oils separate--not out of a concern for
celiacs, but to avoid having the flavor of the hash browns and fries
affected by the other fried foods.  Of course, when visiting a local
restaurant for the first time you'll need to check and make sure they
follow this policy, but my experience has been that most do.

Certainly it is possible for suppliers or ingredients to change, but
I don't think it happens very often with McDonalds or many other
national fast-food chains.  This is not due to any altruistic desire
to help those with special diet needs; this is done to ensure a
consistent taste and texture to their products.  Fast food places
thrive on repeat business, and take pains to ensure that when John Doe
goes to buy his Big Mac, it will taste the same as the one he bought
last night, the week before, and so on.

It pays to be careful and to ask questions, particularly when visiting
a fast food place for the first time.  And I wouldn't wouldn't assume
that the ingredients are the same once you cross into a different
country.  But if you have an up-to-date GF food list from a national
chain such as McDonalds, then I think you can place some trust in that
information and order your food accordingly.

Jim Lyles ........ <[log in to unmask]> ........ Holly, Michigan, USA