How About Some Cadmium with Your Happy Meal?

June 4th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner

McDonald’s has voluntarily recalled approximately 12 million Shrek Forever After collectible glasses (above)—sold since May 21 at the chain’s U.S. restaurants—because they contain high levels of cadmium.

The premium incentive (aka McBribery) was designed to accompany the Shrek Happy Meal promotion (right), which launched last month as a tie-in with the new Shrek 3D movie.

You can thank California Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) for bringing the issue to light. She had been informed last week by anonymous sources that high levels of cadmium had been detected in the glassware, and she alerted the chair of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The commission tested the glasses and confirmed they contained cadmium.

All four designs—Puss ’n’ Boots, Shrek, Princess Fiona and Donkey—are affected by the recall. Refunds will be available beginning Tuesday. Consumers with questions may also call McDonald’s at (800) 244-6227.

“Although McDonald’s did the right thing by recalling these products, we need stronger testing standards to ensure that all children’s products are proven safe before they hit the shelves,” Speier says. “Cadmium is a toxic substance that is extremely dangerous to the developmental health of children.”

Photos (top to bottom): Consumer Product Safety Commission, McDonald’s

Tags: cadmium, fast food, Health, Jackie Speier, McDonald’s, Parenting, recalls, toxic chemicals
Posted in Health, Political Action | Comments Off

McDonald’s Board Rejects Cage-Free Eggs

May 23rd, 2010 - Barbara Feiner

At Thursday’s meeting of McDonald’s shareholders, Paul Shapiro, senior director of the Humane Society of the United States’ factory farming campaign, urged the fast food chain to decrease its use of eggs from caged hens.

Most competitors, including Burger King, Wendy’s, Carl’s Jr. and Sonic, have gone cage-free, but egg products sold by U.S. McDonald’s restaurants come from hens confined to battery cages—enclosures so small that birds cannot spread their wings or move freely.

In contrast, cage-free hens have 200% to 300% more space per bird, the Humane Society notes.

McDonald’s stores in the UK have already gone the cage-free route, and franchises throughout the European Union will follow suit this year.

To jumpstart a transition in the United States, the Humane Society specifically proposed that the chain, with 13,000+ American locations, commit to procuring 5% of its eggs from cage-free suppliers by next January. This meant Ronald McDonald could continue to buy 95% of his eggs from regular suppliers.

But the board urged shareholders to vote against the resolution, arguing it “would not enhance our existing policies and practices regarding the welfare of egg-laying hens and is not in the best interests of shareholders.” (Translation: McD’s makes less money, as a cage-free egg costs about 14 cents more, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.)

The board added: “As we have examined this issue over the years, we have determined that there is no agreement in the global scientific community about how to balance the advantages and disadvantages of laying-hen housing systems.”

Not so fast.

Numerous studies indicate cage-free hens contribute to a safer food supply, and reputable independent research organizations like the Pew Commission have long urged agribusiness to phase out inhumane production practices.

“McDonald’s could reduce the suffering of the hens in its supply chain by starting to phase in cage-free eggs in the U.S.,” Shapiro says. “Consumer trends, legislative activities, McDonald’s competitors and even many McDonald’s operations outside the U.S. all favor cage-free egg production.”

Read More:McDonald’s Board Rejects Cage-Free Eggs

Tags: agribusiness, animal cruelty, battery cages, eggs, factory farms, McDonald’s
Posted in Organic Food | 1 Comment »

Hoki Pokey

September 13th, 2009 - Barbara Feiner

There are many reasons to avoid eating a McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish sandwich.

We can start with taste.

Next comes nutrition: The fried, soggy mess has 380 calories, 45% of which come from fat. The sandwich also delivers 640 mg sodium. That’s virtually on par with a Quarter Pounder, which has 410 calories (42% from fat) and 730 mg sodium.

Now, there’s another reason to Filet-O-flee: ecosystem damage.

While McDonald’s claims to use sustainable fish, the fast-food titan is drawing fire from environmental groups.

Instead of buying the expected Pacific cod or Alaskan pollock (both eco-friendly choices), much of the chain’s fish is New Zealand hoki, whose sustainability is being questioned.

As New York Times reporter William J. Broad reveals in From Deep Pacific, Ugly and Tasty, with a Catch:

Without formally acknowledging that hoki are being overfished, New Zealand has slashed the allowable catch in steps, from about 275,000 tons in 2000 and 2001 to about 100,000 tons in 2007 and 2008—a decline of nearly two-thirds.

Peter Trott, fisheries program manager for Australia’s World Wildlife Fund, told Broad that his group has “major concerns” about hoki. Click here to read the full story.

And here’s an idea: Avoid fast-food fish by making an eco-friendly choice and grilling or baking it to perfection. We can suggest the following recipes from our organic blog:

Chickening Out?

June 3rd, 2009 - Barbara Feiner

As university researchers study the best ways to house America’s egg-producing hens, numerous organizations have signed on as coalition stakeholders, including the American Humane Association, American Veterinary Medical Association and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service.

One prominent stakeholder may surprise you: fast-food behemoth McDonald’s, which reaps a nice share of profits each morning from scrambled eggs, Egg McMuffins and egg-based biscuit sandwiches.

It sure sounds good on paper: The eggs produced in the study are expected to be used in McDonald’s U.S. restaurants, as researchers strive to determine whether cage-free and free-range chickens fare better than those cooped up in factory farms.

Dan Gorsky, McDonald’s senior VP for North America supply chain management, says his company wants to consider “all of the sustainability impacts when it comes to buying eggs—not just animal welfare, but environmental, food safety and economic factors. It is our intention for eggs produced as part of this study, including cage-free eggs, to partially supply McDonald’s USA by 2011.”

Some critics, however, believe McDonald’s is dragging its feet in purchasing sustainable eggs. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) notes that numerous national restaurant chains have already gone the cage-free route, including Burger King, Wendy’s, Quiznos, Denny’s, Hardees’s and Carl’s Jr.

“There is already an abundance of science demonstrating that battery-cage confinement of laying hens is detrimental to animal welfare, and McDonald’s shouldn’t use another long-term study as an excuse to delay implementing the same modest reforms so many of its competitors have already adopted,” says Paul Shapiro, senior director of HSUS’ factory farming campaign.

HSUS is encouraging mainstream and organic consumers to call (800) 244-6227 to urge McDonald’s to switch to cage-free eggs now.

Photo courtesy of McDonald’s

How About Some Cadmium with Your Happy Meal?

McDonald’s Board Rejects Cage-Free Eggs

Hoki Pokey

Chickening Out?

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