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McDonald's Fesses Up to Milk, Wheat in Fries

February 19, 2006

McDonalds • McDonald's Prepares to Fire Back at Critics • McDonald's Fesses Up to Milk, Wheat Content of Fries • McDonald's Finds More Trans Fat in its Fries • McDonalds To List Nutrition Information • McDonald's Launches "Balanced, Active Lifestyles" Campaign • McDonald's Settles Trans Fat Suit • Appeals Court Reinstates McDonald's Suit --- • Consumer Complaints

In the latest dust-up over its content labeling, McDonald's faces at least three lawsuits claiming it misled the public about the milk and wheat content of its French fries.

The fries, it turns out, are even more glutinous than you thought. Just a few days earlier, the company admitted its fries contained higher levels of trans fats than previously disclosed. New tests found 8 grams of trans fats in a large servinig of fries -- one-third more than McDonald's claimed.

The company acknowledged last week that wheat and dairy products are used to flavor its fries. A short time before, it had added the phrase "Contains wheat and milk ingredients" to the French fries listing on its website, setting off a spattering of lawsuits.

One plaintiff, Debra Moffatt of Chicago, said she suffers from coeliac disease, which causes gastrointestinal symptoms set off by eating gluten, a protein found in wheat.

Mark and Theresa Chimiak of Florida, claim their 5-year-old daughter has an intolerance to gluten and became ill after eating the fries.

Nadia Sugich of Los Angeles said she is a vegan who eats no animal products and would not have eaten the fries had she known they contained dairy ingredients.

In a statement, McDonald's said it is testing its fries for gluten through a food allergy research program.

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