And where does it come from? We aim to answer these questions and dispel any rumours about our lettuce. First things first, the question is McDonald's lettuce real? Of course, it is real.
McDonald's recently updated the standard lettuce mix in all their salads, and instead of applauding a switch from iceberg lettuce to a mix of Romaine, baby kale, and baby spinach, bloggers are howling about the calorie, fat and sodium content of the salads!
We love the unique flavour and crisp texture of Iceberg and Cos lettuce. Grown by farmers in NSW, QLD, SA and VIC*.
Dirk Giannini's Story
Fourth generation farmer, lettuce supplier Dirk Giannini has been producing lettuce on his Salinas Valley farm for more than 14 years. Born and raised with farming in his blood, Dirk's appreciation for the land that provides the high quality McDonald's lettuce for our Salads is second to none.
The lettuce is washed, sanitised, and packed in the supplier's purpose-built facility, then delivered to our restaurants daily in sealed, ready to use bags, and therefore requires no washing or drying in our kitchens whatsoever.”
If you are washing whole heads of lettuce, make sure to thoroughly inspect them. Gently open the heads and check between the leaves for dirt. Gently bend the leaves back and away from the core to allow water to get between the leaves. Make sure to check the area where the leaves are attached to the stem.
You can wash all you like but you can't get rid of all of the foodborne pathogens on your lettuce leaves because some hide within the plant tissue.
"We removed the iceberg from the fields and replaced it with romaine, and then we added new crops of the baby spinach and baby kale and baby Tuscan blend," she said. McDonald's isn't the only fast-food chain that has recently turned against iceberg lettuce, which has been a staple in salads since the 1930s.
At the plant, produce is chopped and bathed three times in a chlorinated wash before its packed and shipped. Pathogen testing is not conducted in the plant. From harvest to restaurant, the lettuce lands in your McDonald's burger, Snack Wrap or salad, shown, in about four days.
Well, it varies from burger to burger, depending on the size and type. For example, the recipe for a Big Mac® uses 28g of shredded lettuce, whereas the Chicken Legend® uses 12g of seasonal green lettuce.
We source a variety of produce – from tomatoes, lettuce, kale and Broccolini®, to blueberries, chopped apples and more. These fruits and vegetables are freshly delivered to our restaurants up to six days a week (never on Sunday!), and are then used to craft many of our menu items in our restaurant kitchens.
We stick to a gold standard that helps us ensure we deliver you a great tasting McDonald's fry. It starts with the right potatoes, which we cut exactly right, and then use a canola-blend oil with just the right amount of flavoring. Check out our World Famous Fries®.
Sliced grilled chicken breast nestled in a fresh mix of green leaf lettuce with a blend of shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses, tightly rolled in a flaxseed flour flat bread. Made fresh daily.
The restaurant chain uses a different type of romaine lettuce for salads. The Food and Drug Administration reports that the romaine lettuce used on Wendy's burgers is a romaine and iceberg lettuce hybrid that is smaller than regular romaine heads.
The Big Mac is made with two 1.6 oz (45 g) beef patties, a "special sauce" (similar to Thousand Island dressing), shredded iceberg lettuce, one processed American cheese slice, two slices of dill pickle, and minced onions, served on a three slice sesame seed bun.
A research article published in Food Science and Biotechnology in 2017 explained that lactucin, a major active compound in lactucarium, is found in higher concentrations in green romaine lettuce than in green and red lettuce varieties.
Any food that has been altered in some way during preparation, such as freezing, canning, baking, cleaning, or drying.
As a global company, we comply with religious slaughter requirements, including Halal and Kosher, when required by our customers. With the exception of a limited number of markets that do not allow stunning prior to slaughter for religious reasons, all animals within our supply chain are stunned before slaughter.
In India, McDonald's ensures their burgers use the freshest produce, which means that don't use any ordinary lettuce. The iceberg variety was first introduced in India by McDonald's, as early as the 90s, at a time when not many people were familiar with lettuce and used cabbage instead.
coli' Outbreak. Many customers have fallen ill from the bacteria in four states. Danielle DeAngelis is a journalist and current assistant editor for EatingWell.
Wendy's removes lettuce from sandwiches as a 'precautionary measure' amid E. coli outbreak. The fast food chain removed lettuce from sandwiches in some locations, but said the lettuce in their salads was not related.
The Distinct Flavor Profile of McDonald's Pickles
These small, green slices are an essential ingredient in many of their burgers and sandwiches. The distinct flavor profile is a result of a combination of factors such as the type of cucumber used, brine solution, added spices, and processing methods.
Whole heads of lettuce (instead of bagged greens) may also be safer. While whole heads don't necessarily have lower bacteria levels than packaged greens, their inner leaves are less exposed to sources of contamination and are handled less than bagged greens. This reduces the opportunities for contamination.
What are the symptoms? People with listeriosis report having flu-like symptoms along with headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions, CDC officials said. The CDC recommends that people see a health-care provider about foodborne illness if they have severe symptoms such as: Bloody diarrhea.
Do I Need to Wash Lettuce? Yes, it's important to wash all fresh produce, but especially leafy greens and lettuce. Harmful bacteria from the soil can contaminate fruits and vegetables and lead to a foodborne illness if consumed.