Note: Fast Food Does Go Bad - Democratic Underground

evirus

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Fri Nov-05-10 08:38 PM
Original message

Note: Fast Food Does Go Bad

Revisiting the Myth of The 12-Year Old McDonald's Burger That Just Won't Rot (Testing Results!)
ala: http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/11/the-burger-lab-revisiting-the-myth-of-the-12-year-old-burger-testing-results.html
the burger doesn't rot because it's small size and relatively large surface area help it to lose moisture very fast. Without moisture, there's no mold or bacterial growth. Of course, that the meat is pretty much sterile to begin with due to the high cooking temperature helps things along as well. It's not really surprising. Humans have known about this phenomenon for thousands of years. After all, how do you think beef jerky is made?

Now don't get me wrong—I don't have a dog in this fight either way. I really couldn't care less whether or not the McDonald's burger rotted or didn't. I don't often eat their burgers, and will continue to not often eat their burgers. My problem is not with McDonald's. My problem is with bad science.

For all of you McDonald's haters out there: Don't worry. There are still plenty of reasons to dislike the company! But for now, I hope you'll have it my way and put aside your beef with their beef.

its funny how a little effort and some basic understanding of science trumps the occasional "science journalism" fluff piece. (I've most recently seen this on MSNBC's Countdown, under one of their "worst person" segments)

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Kalun D

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Fri Nov-05-10 08:48 PM
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1. Garbage "food"

It's hard to even call it food.

It's "rotten" the day it's purchased,

it doesn't degrade because it's 50 percent chemical preservatives and it's not biodegradable.

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laconicsax

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Fri Nov-05-10 08:56 PM
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2. Did you not read the OP?

the burger doesn't rot because it's small size and relatively large surface area help it to lose moisture very fast. Without moisture, there's no mold or bacterial growth. Of course, that the meat is pretty much sterile to begin with due to the high cooking temperature helps things along as well. It's not really surprising. Humans have known about this phenomenon for thousands of years. After all, how do you think beef jerky is made?

But I'm sure you have actual data to back up the line about it being 50% chemical preservatives.

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evirus

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Fri Nov-05-10 11:08 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. everything is 100% chemicals, kind of required in order for it to exist

besides that we have been trying to find ways to preserve our food stuffs for as long as we exist, just because its a preservative doesn't mean its automatically harmful, take salt for instance, sure too much is a bad thing, but too little is equally bad (that's why that woman died during the radio contest involving drinking excessive amounts of water for a prize).

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