What's in a McNugget? Not the 'pink slime' or 'junk' you see on the internet, says McDonald's of Canada, and to prove it they've released a new video showing the entire process of making gold nuggets from the processing plant.
“Pink slime” is slang for “ammonia-treated lean beef.” It is an industrial food process in which edible parts of meat that stick to the bone but cannot be removed with a knife are mechanically recovered and converted into a substance that can enrich hamburgers and fill chicken products at a lower cost.
On a specific imagethat went viral and captured the popular imagination, and as seen in the McDonald's video, the decoration looks like a thick dough that rolls up like a pink anaconda in a cardboard box.
McDonald's says sostopped using lean beef trimmings after 2011and that the nuggets are made of white meat without bones.
“We don't know what it is or where it came from, but it has nothing to do with our Chicken McNuggets,” Nicoletta Stefou, Supply Chain Manager for McDonald's Canada, says in the video.
She then takes us on a tour of the entire Chicken McNugget process, showing in great detail how breasts are taken from whole chickens, mixed, seasoned and formed into nuggets.
During the main grinding phase, Stefou compares the pureed chicken with the online image.
“Here's the pink blob image and this is what we actually have, so it's very different,” says Stefou. “All we have here is ground chicken breast, as well as herbs and a natural part of the skin for flavor and as a binding agent.”
The cut may be free of rosy dirt, but it's not exactly picturesque either. That is the point.
The video, which aired as a commercial during Canada's Super Bowl broadcast, is an example of a new "extreme transparency" trend in which companies, especially those under fire for their business practices, are going to great lengths to show customers how they work.
Dig in.
FAQs
McNuggets have been made with all white meat since 2003 and the restaurants stopped using mechanically processed beef in 2011. McDonald's FAQ page reads: "The [pink slime] photo is not a representation of how we create our Chicken McNuggets®, or for that matter, any item on our menu."
What is the coating on McDonald's chicken nuggets? ›
Once everything is mixed, we create the four famous Chicken McNuggets® shapes—bell, boot, ball and bone. They're coated in a light tempura batter, partially fried and quickly frozen to preserve flavor. Once in our restaurants, they're fully fried and served hot to you with a delicious taste that is full of flavor.
Is pink slime unhealthy? ›
On the one hand, consumers demand safe foods and are right to do so; they also need to recognize that the production of safe foods requires processing interventions.” In other words, it might have an image problem, but Lean Finely Textured Beef – aka 'pink slime' – is safe to eat.
Does Wendy's have pink slime? ›
Wendy's decided to post the ads after receiving “many questions from customers and online communities,” spokesman Bob Bertini said in an email. “We felt it was important to set the record straight. We are very proud of our beef, and have never used lean finely textured beef, or 'pink slime.
Are McNuggets processed meat? ›
McDonald's makes their McNuggets from a very processed meat, commonly called “pink slime” in the industry, because it is pink meat that has been ground into a fine slurry that's rather slimy looking. But it's always been made out of chicken, it's just very processed chicken.
How are Chick-fil-A nuggets made? ›
How To Make Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets. The process starts with what appears to be fresh, chopped-up chicken dunked in a "milk wash." Next, a breading and seasoning mixture coats the chicken before being dropped into an oil fryer and fried for a pre-determined amount of time.
What company does McDonald's get their nuggets from? ›
While McDonald's partners with outside manufacturers, including Tyson, for its chicken nuggets and other meats like its sausages, you can't buy frozen chicken nuggets in-store to cook at your leisure. Fortunately, there are plenty of McNugget dupes on the market.
Is pink slime still used? ›
The product is regulated in different manners in various regions. In the US, the product is allowed to be used in ground beef, and it can be used in other meat products such as beef-based processed meats.
What is the pink goo in chicken nuggets made of? ›
"Here's the pink goo image, and here's what actually we have, so it's very different," says Stefou. "All we've got here is chicken breast that's been ground up, as well as seasoning, and natural proportion of skin for flavor, and as a binder."
Is pink in chicken OK? ›
Safely cooked poultry can vary in color from white to pink to tan. All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F (73.9°C) as measured with a food thermometer. For whole poultry, check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
Many fast-food chains use a mixture of flour, sugar, salt, and other additives in their breading. Some even add ingredients like dimethyl polysiloxane, a type of silicone used in cosmetic products, to prevent the oil from foaming during frying.
Where does McDonald's get their meat? ›
Today, Keystone's US operations are proud to produce and deliver the highest quality beef, chicken and fish products to McDonald's, including more than 150 million pounds of beef, 300 million pounds of chicken and 15 million pounds of fish each year.
Does McDonald's use Tyson chicken? ›
Tyson helped keep up with demands
To keep restaurants across the US chain from running out, the fast food company teamed up with Tyson Foods for its poultry supply. This is why McDonald's chicken nuggets come in one of four shapes. In Australia, the local supplier is Ingham Enterprises.
What is the pink slime in McDonald's meat? ›
Some consumers may be familiar with the practice of using lean, finely textured beef sometimes treated with ammonia, which is referred to by some as “pink slime.” We do not use this.
What are chicken nuggets made of pink slime? ›
No ones chicken nuggets are made of pink slime. They are made of chicken and some batter plus seasonings.
Does McDonald's still have pink slime in their meat? ›
"There's zero pink slime in any of our products." "McDonald's does not use lean beef trimmings treated with ammonia, what some individuals call 'pink slime,' in our burgers, and hasn't since 2011," McDonald's website also stated.
What are McDonald's chicken nuggets made out of? ›
McDonald's Chicken McNuggets® are made with all white meat chicken and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. The chicken, which is cut from the tenderloin, breast and rib, gets mixed with a marinade for flavor and to help the Chicken McNuggets® keep their fun shapes.
