IS FAST FOOD SAFE NOW? AN IMPACT STUDY OF FOOD INGREDIENTS IN MCDONALD’S ORDERS
Introduction
In 1906, Upton Sinclair, a largely unknown fiction writer, published a novel The Jungle and became an “accidental muckraker.” In his book, he described the harmful and revolting conditions in Chicago’s meat-packing industry and kinds of chemistry, which the packers used to give processed meat any color, flavor, and odor they choose. Since then, Although the food industry has made remarkable progress in the last 100 years, the food safety problem is still a big issue in our contemporary society. In the fast-food industry, the problem is particularly acute. Americans consume the greatest percentage of their food, made in foreign countries (Ibrahim et al. 771-776). Fast food is most common because they are suitable and, in many cases, they are cheap, and anyone can afford, and their menus are attractive even to the people of lower class all over in all communities. However, fast food has numerous health and environmental impacts based on its food ingredients and processing methods. Consumers do not realize a series of health problems when eating the first food in cafeterias and hotels. In recent years, the rising side effects of fast food have been discovered to have several health problems such as cancer, heart disease, Obesity, and blood pressure problems. Many scholars and nutrition experts have suggested that people should not eat fast food regularly. It is necessary to conduct an inquiry to determine if these fast-food ingredients are unsafe and have significant effects on human health (Ibrahim et al. 771-776).
Background
McDonald’s Corporation is the largest American fast-food company managed by Maurice and Richard in San Bernardino, California. It has over 37,000 food-service cafeterias and hotels in less than 100 countries worldwide (Rajawat, 13-17). McDonald’s is currently known for its hamburgers, chicken nuggets, and fried as a fast-food giant. While many people enjoy the cheap and delicious fast food, studies have indicated that their food is less nutritious, filled with food additives, and most processed food. According to a report revealed by Morgan Stanley, a global leader in Financial Services, most young adults prefer McDonald’s food more than other restaurants. Most of these people eating McDonald’s food have limited knowledge of the nutritional ingredients in each meal. For example, a recent study revealed that McDonald’s Corporation uses chicken injected with growth-stimulating antibiotics and other factory-farmed meat and beef. Studies also have linked the Corporation to the use of several food additives that are harmful to human health (Rajawat, 13-17).
Overview and Problem Statement
This study seeks to analyze McDonald’s fast food ingredients such as raw materials, food additives, and nutritional quality, disclosing the relationship between some diseases and food ingredients. The paper also appeals to the related departments to enforce laws and regulations more strictly to the fast-food industry, calling for more public awareness of this unhealthy food served up in Americans’ fast-food restaurants (Rajarata, 13-17). This study uses a qualitative study method and collected more than 25 academic papers, professional articles, and videos.
Raw Materials Analysis
Taking a responsible approach to sourcing McDonald’s ingredients is essential to the customers. McDonald’s primary raw materials include beef, chicken, flour, potato, and oil. McDonald’s declared its quality standards on their website. They said that they use pure beef patties and freshly cracked eggs for their burgers and Mc Muffin. Their Buttermilk Crispy and Chicken Mc Nuggets are obtained from chickens’ white meat. For their Antibiotics Policies, McDonald’s believes that antibiotics’ responsible use is important to the medicine used by human beings. It preserves the effectiveness of many creatures and, more especially, human being’s health. Although McDonald’s announced that they use fresh, almost organic ingredients and little food additives in their menu items, they do use antibiotic chicken, beef, and caged eggs for raw materials. With an in-depth study of their food ingredients, I found that their raw materials are somehow unhealthy and harmful to people’s health, causing many health problems(Gorham et al. 17-33).
Chicken is one of McDonald’s wildly used ingredients. Children’s favorite Chicken Nuggets, Crispy Chicken Sandwiches are popular items in McDonald’s menu. In the United States, 99 percent of chickens are provided by only five vertically integrated corporations. These five companies control practically everything. Keystone Corporation, one of the chicken trust members, supplies millions of tons of McDonald’s chickens every year. Taking the price into consideration, McDonald’s uses broiler chickens as an ingredient. Unlike organic or country chicken, broiler chickens are raised exclusively for their meat. In a documentary film Big Size, Me 2, the filmmaker Morgan Spurlock had recorded a broiler chicken farm. Mass chicken has highly practiced the way it is done in factories.
The chickens are kept feeding day and night so that in around six weeks, you be in a position to obtain 5.5 pounds chicken. The overall products, such as bones, are not able to make the chickens grow faster. The chickens take a short period and then plop down because they cannot maintain the initial weight they had before. In another YouTube short video, a fed-up chicken farmer invited the camera to film her chickens’ poor health. It is nasty in the barn. All the chickens are crowded in a big barn. There is dust flying everywhere, and there are feces everywhere. The farmer put antibiotics into the feed to prevent chicken flu. Many studies showed that Broiler chickens play hosts to various harmful bacteria. Most tested chicken samples from the market contain bacteria such as campylobacter and Salmonella. Occasional consumption of broiler chicken can lead to diseases such as diarrhea and food poisoning and can increase antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, including Salmonella. It also weakens people’s immune systems with time. It is an unavoidable reality that most of the broiler chickens are using synthetic growth hormones. When we consume these broiler chickens, the hormones are likely getting passed into our bodies too. These chemicals can cause body metabolism changes and lead to Obesity, male fertility problems, and early puberty in females(Gorham et al. 17-33).
Another substance that McDonald’s Company uses that causes body reaction is soybean oil. There are several types of oil vegetables, such as canola oil and other types obtained from soybeans, containing an anti-foaming agent. Soybean oil is found in over 65 McDonald’s menu items such as burgers, mayonnaise, and French fries. In 2017, the World Health Organization reported that the company mostly uses soybean oil in most of its allergen food. Besides, scientists have indicated that the substance has been proven to cause an allergic reaction in adults and children’s bodies regardless of gender. Richard Watts from the Children’s Food Campaign indicated that the organization is concerned with the heavy use of soybean oil in McDonald’s Corporation as harmful to health as reported by the Southampton study. In October 2016, a 10-year homeless boy Malek Lawal from Dublin streets died after consuming McDonald’s food brought by his mother, which caused allergic reactions. Watts indicated that sample food from McDonald’s Corporation reveals that food, oil, and other additives make its use in human food unsafe for consumption following the death of the boy.
Other ingredients of McDonald’s food also have some problems. For the widely used beef, McDonald’s does not guarantee their beef is grass-fed. Most of the eggs they are using are from caged hens to keep a low price. Take a look at McDonald’s flour ingredients. You will find that it is improved flour, which is made up of wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, among other many products. These ingredients can cause food allergy, headache, and abnormal metabolism as well. Although there is no doubt that an enterprise’s purpose is to gain maximal profit, the company should also consider the social benefit and take particular community responsibility.
Food Additives Analysis
If you take a look at a food label about fast food, you will find food additives. They make the produced food functional, convenient, and enriched. According to the FDA’s (The Food and Drug Administration) definition, additive food is all forms of substances which its main purpose may reasonably be expected not to bring good outcomes, which may be directly or indirectly, the component which is formed may affect the characteristic of many types of foods. A large number of food additives used as fast-food yields are divided into four groups, based on their processing needs. These are substances responsible for preventing food spoilage, improving sensory features, firming additives, and recipients. In Sinclair’s novel The Jungle, when describing food additives which were used in the packing factory, he said: “Also out of all proves of chemistry which they carried out, showed that any sort of meat, obtained from natural setting or either salt had been applied to it, either the meat is divided to pieces or used wholly, it was to be chosen despite their color, flavor and odor “(Chapter 13 ). Another book, written by author Eric talking about food nation, explains how most fast-food industries use chemicals in their meat and potatoes to add taste. He argued that these aspects had created impacts on the agricultural sector as most animals manufactured in the laboratory. Eric Schlosser concluded that fast-food industries have devastating working conditions for their workers. Most of the chemicals they use in the slaughterhouses have distressing effects on public health and death. McDonald’s uses more than 50 common food additives, including partially hydrogenated oils, azodicarbonamide, hydrolyzed protein, sodium phosphate, artificial sweetener, guar gum, and carrageenan. Although these additives can make fast food delicious and easy to preserve, many pieces of the research reported that these substances could cause diseases.
The primary health issue associated with food additives is cancer because most preservatives contain chemicals that affect the body’s cells. Most food additives are food acids, antioxidants, anti-cracking agents, and food colors and flavors (Silva and Fernando, 823). These substances are often used as artificial coloring, sweetener, and preservatives in food industries. Besides, these are substances found in foods such as margarine, baked goods, and several beverages. Some of these food additives include blue 2, caramel coloring, Butyrate hydroxyanisole (BHA), carrageenan, or more. Most of these substances are linked to several health issues ranging from bloating, allergies to cancer. For example, Butyrate hydroxyanisole (BHA) is an antioxidant to retard rancidity in food containing oils and fats. This substance is mostly found in cereals, vegetable oil, chewing gum, and light potato chips. According to the research conducted by the department of human service and health sector, USA, BHA is regarded as a human carcinogen because it can cause a genetic mutation (Laganà et al. 39). However, the FDA still considers the substance as safe for use as food additives despite its rising concern. Butyrate hydroxyanisole is one of the food additives used in McDonald’s food, especially in breakfast menus.
According to the company’s nutritionist, BHA is found in over ten menu items. According to nutritional researchers, BHA is one of EWG’s (Environmental Working Group) “Dirty Dozen” food additives people should avoid. According to the studies which have been carried out in certain institution in California in the year 2016, BHA is an endocrine disruptor regarded as a carcinogen, and it has about a 43% chance of causing tumors in animals. Some of the menus with this substance in McDonald’s food include Sausage Mc Griddles, Big Breakfasts, or Sausage Egg Mc Muffins. Cancer is one of the leading fatal diseases in the world. The World Health Organization made the company aware of its high levels of controversial food additives that contain dangerous chemicals harmful to the human body. However, independent research conducted by a team of scientists in California indicated that McDonald’s Company has not responded to WHO’s request to reduce the number of chemicals in its food. The research further reported that the company’s use of additives had increased significantly over the past two years. The research also established that McDonald’s British headquarters in East Finchley, London denied disclosing information on the number of additives it uses. Accordingly, the research established that the company uses over 77 different additives in over 500 different occasions, from analysis of over 2,000 ingredients from McDonald’s nutritional webpage (Transande and Sheela). The study concluded that only 13 food products do not contain food additives, and they include fruit bags, tea, and carrot sticks. According to researchers from France, ultra-processed food such as ice cream, chicken nuggets, and breakfast cereals contain substances that cause cancer. In another study conducted by the University of Navarra, Spain, there are 335 deaths due to food additives every year. Out of these 335 deaths, about 10 eat ultra-processed food that causes cancer. The study reveals that additives constitute about 1% deaths each year because of cancer-related issues, making it harmful and unsafe in food.
In recent years, food additives are found to one of the causes of blood and heart-related complications such as high blood pressure, clots, and stroke. Some of the food additives responsible for this health issue include trans fats, sodium phosphate, partially hydrogenated oils, or more. Sodium Phosphate is one of the commonly used additives in restaurants. That does not guarantee safety. Using additive phosphate as the food it automatically leads to increase phosphate levels in the blood, this can easily make a person to be affected by different diseases such as chronic kidney disease, the rapid spread of heart disease, and accelerated aging (Olivo et al. 94). After their research, the EWG advises that excessive sodium phosphate can cause addiction, which is difficult to stay without. The preservative is used by McDonald’s cheese slices and ice cream, so all burgers with cheese and shakes contain it. It also preserves the crispy chicken used in Mc Wraps and salads (Olivo et al. 94). In another research that was carried out by the United States government and the National Institute dealing with health, hydrogenated oils have hazardous cholesterol. The study reported that it would often lead to blood clots, stroke, or heart disease. Hydrogenated oils are composed of over 19 menu items of McDonald’s food. FDA equally liked this food additive to heart complications and more deaths.
Another study conducted by one of the U.S. government agencies indicated that artificial colors cause hyperactivity, learning impairment, and aggressiveness in children. Artificial colors are some of the ingredients that do not add nutritional value to the food; instead, they make food look presentable. An example of artificial food color includes caramel coloring, and there is an ongoing debate concerning its impacts on children’s behaviors. Some of the artificially colored food in McDonald’s food restaurants includes vanilla, strawberry, and chocolates contain yellow five or Red 40 food additives. The chocolate flips are all tainted with artificial food colors containing Red 40 and caramel coloring to make them look darker and healthy. The U.K. has banned using these food additives because of its effects on children’s behavioral changes and brain functioning (Li and Chin 1). McDonald’s nutritionist reported that it is the company’s policy to use artificial additives in new products. This statement has raised concerns about the company’s policies, with most consumers boycotting their products.
Food additives used to increase the overall production process to boost sales. Although they have many health problems, McDonald’s has never considered stop using them. According to “The Fonder” by Don Handfield, the documentary showed how McDonald’s food restaurants are making their products in a speedy system, depicting how the company was created. These depictions indicate how most fast-food industries manufacture their products in more complicated money intending to make profits while affecting overall public health.
Nutritional Quality Analysis
It has been revealed that consuming Fast food contains a high content of salt, sugar, saturated fats, processed preservatives, and ingredients. When you consume fast food, you often eat more calories than eat at home. In 2003, Morgan Spurlock, a filmmaker, decided to eat nothing but McDonald’s for an entire month. He was required to eat three meals a day at Mcdonalds. Only in 30 days, he gained 24.5 lbs. He ate almost 5000 calories a day, doubled from before. His liver was converted to fat; his cholesterol shot up more than 60points. His body fat percentage increased from around ten to around twenty percent. He nearly doubled the risk of coronary heart disease. He became filled with depression and drained in most of the time. For the short-term impact, many studies showed that regularly eating fast food could immediately impact the normal functioning of the blood vessel in human beings and increase the demand for insulin in the body. For the long-term impact, eating fast food can put a person’s life in danger. It can increase the body’s risks of becoming weak against diseases and body problems such as diabetes, Obesity, and various cardiovascular conditions, among others.
McDonald’s restaurants are known for high-calorie food, high sugar and salt levels, and fried food. According to McDonald’s Nutrition Calculator, the most popular item Big Mac combo includes 1250 together with a medium coke and a French fry. It also contains 1560mg sodium, 80g sugar, and 45g fat. The total calories are half of an adult’s daily demands, two-thirds of the sodium demands, and twice the sugar. Several pieces of research carried out by Yale Center have clearly shown that Obesity in the year 2008 was high; scientists gave evidence showing that people who eat more calories when out in fast-food cafeteria and hotels and at the same time consuming excess fast food calorie may have their weight increase. This research also analyzes the compound and calories of fast food items. It suggests the importance of health sectors and national groups recommend addressing the in availability of calorie information in restaurants. In 2002, a lawsuit was filed in New York City on behalf of a teenage girl group. They are against Mc Donald’s Corporation seeking compensation for problems caused by Obesity. They also asked Mc Donald’s to improve the labeling of its products, supporting a program to enable consumers about the dangers of fast food. Even though the judge states that if lawyers for the teens can show that McDonald’s encourages people to consume its food every day mostly and that putting it in practice, it can easily lead to danger and be in a position to state a claim. Finally, the lawsuit was dismissed due to the girl’s failure to show that consuming Mc Donald’s food was the reason that made them have injuries. Despite the dismissal, the case gives a useful lens to consider the reasons as to why the fast-food industry may be accountable for obesity threats. Meanwhile, the main question which is interesting enough is how the fast-food litigation and its fallout could change the way Americans view Obesity and the respective roles of personal and corporate responsibility in contributing to this public health problem.
There are many causes of eating fast food associated with weight gain and Obesity. Many people are told to reduce fast-food eating due to health concerns, but they have trouble doing so because they like the taste. In 2011, the Michigan Department of Community Health researchers tabulated data from 12 questions about consumption of first food by using univariate and bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression and compared them with data obtained from Michigan obesity prevalence (prevalence (Solid et al. Pg 47). They concluded that the consumption of the first food was of a higher adult. It mostly affected the male gender but was not of any importance when compared with the income of the household, their education, or urbanity, among others. The cases of Obesity has raised consistently with frequent fast-food cafeterias and hotels, from 24% of those going less than once a week to 33% of those going three or more times per week. The latest studies reported that Obesity could increase COVID-19-associated risk by making some individuals prone to virus due to immune responses. A cohort study, including 428,225 patients, showed that of 340 people requiring hospitalization, more than 40% were overweight, and around 30 percent discovered with Obesity. The Open study also went through not less than 12 million electronic records and discovered that among the 5,683 patients who died, most of them were overweight, and others had obesity issues. Scientists have attributed individual Obesity to the fault of industry foods. The fast-food industry promotes all these very cheap processed foods that are delicious by adding vast amounts of salt, sugar, and fat. They spend billions of dollars advertising this rubbish at very cheap prices, particularly targeted at socially deprived people and, not surprisingly, they’re obese. Obesity is furthermore characterized by high comorbidity, including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Thus, rather than Obesity, the target of health interventions should be the chronic diseases often associated with it, which are the determinants of the excess deaths.
The human body requires salt (sodium) to function properly. Only a small amount of salt is needed daily to perform these essential functions. The Dietary Guidelines research for Americans shows that they consume less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium each day as part of a healthy eating pattern, roughly equivalent to one teaspoon of traditional table salt. However, many people consume salt far over the recommended daily amount when eating fast food. The CDC points out that more than 40 percent of the sodium consumed each day comes from 10 types of food, including bread, cheese, bacon. A single McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese Bacon can easily exceed 1,500 mg of sodium. If you think a salad may be a good choice, you are wrong. The Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad from McDonald’s contains 1,070 milligrams of sodium — 120 milligrams more than a Big Mac. In the short-term, too much sodium can affect people’s appearance. Sodium can cause your body to retain water, leading to bloating, puffiness, and weight gain.
In the long-term, too much sodium can increase the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart failure. But the list doesn’t stop there. It can also increase the risk for osteoporosis, stomach cancer, kidney disease, kidney stones, an enlarged heart muscle, and headaches. In 2015, the University of Otago conducted a study aimed to estimate the mean intake of sodium from savory fast foods for the adult New Zealand population. Their research showed that a single burger or serve of pizza from large chain restaurants provided 45% and 55% of the daily sodium Upper Limit. Sauces/salad dressings and fried chicken had the highest sodium content. Twelve of the thirteen fast foods they chose exceeded the United Kingdom Food Standards agency sodium targets. Scientists recommended that the first step to maintaining a healthy salt consumption level is knowing which food is high in sodium and avoid eating it.
Counterclaim and Rebuttal
McDonald’s often declares its food standard and antibiotics policies to the public. McDonald’s promised that 70 percent of its global chicken supply would be fully implemented with improved welfare outcomes by the end of 2024. They also said that the U.S. and Canada restaurants would use cage-free eggs by the end of 2025. They strive to improve environmental practices in how beef is produced, make a positive difference in the lives of farmers, and drive animal health and welfare improvements. Recently, they announced that they would undertake significant changes in their menus. In a statement released by the company late last year, they indicated an end to using chickens injected with growth-promoting ingredients and antibiotics. They also added that they would stop using dairy products produced through growth hormones even though they continue using factory-farmed meat. In 2018, McDonald’s announced that all seven classic burgers have no artificial preservatives, no artificial flavors, and no added colors from artificial sources. They also work to ensure that nutrition information for their menu items is available and accessible through all owned websites and mobile apps used for ordering. For the concern of the public’s health, the restaurants now provide salads and healthier food choices for consumers. From all McDonald’s promises and improvements, we can conclude that McDonald’s Corporation takes social responsibility positively and promotes their social value when pursuing profits. Although McDonald’s has made great progress in improving its menus and image building in recent years, it is still true that fast food is typically loaded with calories, food additives, and unhealthy fat. It’s extremely difficult to follow a healthy diet when you are regularly eating at fast-food restaurants. These statements came after a handful of people claimed that they have health issues consuming McDonald’s food. Other people claimed increased body weight and allergic reactions. The fast-food industry cynically continues to target children. In a report conducted by the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, the researchers examined the nutritional quality of fast food, and how restaurants market their foods and beverages to children and teens. They concluded that less than 1% of kids’ meal combinations at restaurants meet nutrition standards recommended by experts; Only 3% reach the industry’s own Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative and Kids Live Well nutrition standards. Researchers conclude that while improvements have been made, there is more work to improve the overall nutritional quality of fast food. The healthiest food choice would be adding more whole grains, legumes, fish, and fruits and vegetables to meals while reducing salt.
Government’s Attitude and Effects
Sinclair’s novel The Jungle revived efforts in Congress for federal food and drug regulation. President Roosevelt overcame meat-packer opposition and pushed through the Meat Inspection Act and The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. The two laws authorized inspectors from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to stop any bad or mislabeled meat from entering interstate and foreign commerce. These laws led to the formation of the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and greatly expanded federal government regulation of private enterprise. After 100 years, the FDA has built a series of regulations and frameworks for the fast-food industry. Globally, food safety is ensured by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In 1962, these organizations established a special list—the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which references standards on raw materials and food products. In 2018, the FDA announced the Nutrition Innovation Strategy, which sets a strategic course to reduce preventable deaths and diseases related to poor nutrition. FDA said that food and color additives are strictly studied, regulated, and monitored. Federal regulations require evidence that each substance is safe at its intended level of use before added to foods. Consumers should feel safe about the foods they eat. FDA also suggests that consumers choose healthier foods and beverages to help reduce the risk of developing some health conditions, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and anemia. With the development of society and technology, making a choice helpful to public health and the profit of enterprises in the future is an important task for today’s government.
Public Awareness
A 2013 nationally representative phone survey of about 2000 subjects showed that one-fifth of Americans thought fast food was good for health, whereas two-thirds considered fast food was not good. Negative and positive fast food perceptions were associated with fast food consumption. Those who consumed less fast food seemed more likely to view fast food negatively. In recent years, more and more experts, scientists have published professional articles to analyze and criticize the disadvantages of eating fast food. They indicate the health problems of eating fast food and recommend avoiding frequent fast-food consumption. The public is more aware of the weaknesses of fast food. In a study of consumer awareness of fast-food calorie information, the researchers found that 27% of the consumers used it to make their menu choice. They also reported that calorie information had affected their purchase of fast food.
Meanwhile, there are still many people who do not realize the harmful effects of fast food. In the film Super-Size, Me, when Spurlock interviewed some consumers about fast food, quite a proportion of consumers said they eat more than twice every week and thought it was delicious and inexpensive. Consumers should pay more attention to food labels in fast-food restaurants and consume a healthy diet. The more awareness they have, the more health they have.
Conclusion
The current society depends heavily on fast food overlooking the impacts of food ingredients they contain. Researchers have indicated that these substances have significant health-related problems making some food unsafe for consumption. Researchers have indicated that eating too much McDonald’s food leads to health issues such as cancer, heart disease, brain complications, behavioral changes in children, and more impacts. McDonald’s Corporation is the absolute leader in the fast-food industry. Although McDonald’s is making progress and improvement, their food is still associated with food additives and high calories. Eating McDonald’s food regularly is harmful to human health. Their menu also has led to various criticisms on the company’s ethical concerns on public health. Despite some food benefits of convenience, fast and cheap, they remain a threat to human consumption. Fast food companies should continue improving their food standards and giving consumers more nutritional and healthy food choices. The public should be aware of the harms of fast food and refrain from consuming it. Moreover, governments should work together with the FDA to enhance food safety by establishing various defense mechanisms.
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