McDonald’s Happy Meal resists decomposition for six months

Heffalump · October 2010

DH emailed me this story. I am so curious about who is right: the McDonald's spokesman, or the photographer and the nutritionist? Curious enough to want to replicate this experiment on my own.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20101012/bs_yblog_upshot/mcdonalds-happy-meal-resists-decomposition-for-six-months

nicoleg1982 · October 2010

I read that too, and was a bit skeptical. And then I cringed b/c I had a HM last week. I also wondered how climate would figure into that. I mean, in FL, stuff rots fast b/c of the humidity.

loveshine1 · October 2010

That's what I was thinking, Skankenstein. I guarantee that bun would have mold on it after sitting on a shelf in my house for a week, let alone 6 months.

marissa_claire · October 2010

I saw it yesterday. I'm more curious to hear from the other guy that has a 12-yr-old meal sitting on a shelf. I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility if you read the nutrition facts and see how much sodium is in their food.

Heffalump · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_wedding-woes_mcdonalds-happy-meal-resists-decomposition-six-months?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:47Discussion:2216b60e-1484-4adb-a499-2d0373c7690bPost:ae86979f-76c6-44af-b5e9-6cc6ae20462a">McDonald’s Happy Meal resists decomposition for six months</a>:
[QUOTE]DH emailed me this story. I am so curious about who is right: the McDonald's spokesman, or the photographer and the nutritionist? Curious enough to want to replicate this experiment on my own.

<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20101012/bs_yblog_upshot/mcdonalds-happy-meal-resists-decomposition-for-six-months" rel="nofollow">http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20101012/bs_yblog_upshot/mcdonalds-happy-meal-resists-decomposition-for-six-months</a>
Posted by Heffalump[/QUOTE]

Fixing the wonky formattinh

nicoleg1982 · October 2010

I also want to call bullshit on this b/c I've seen dozens of episodes of Hoarders and not once have they found a fully in-tact McD's meal that has yet to decompose.

Heffalump · October 2010

When I moved offices, I found a handful of old fries in a desk drawer that weren't moldy, but I'm really curious about the burger and bun.

Y'all, I am seriously so tempted to do this. I would have to hide it, though. This facility is FDA registered, and I think they'd frown on an old Happy Meal sitting on my desk for days or weeks on end. But I'd rather do that than have it sitting around my house.

I think the photographer is looking for attention, the nutritionist has an agenda, and McDonald's obviously has a vested interest. What I need is someone who isn't pushing one outcome or the other, but genuinely wants to know what really happens.

nicoleg1982 · October 2010

I wonder why no bugs/mice attacked it yet. Surely something like that laying around would attract vermin.

Also, maybe happy meals can be the new military MREs.

baconsmom · October 2010

My first thought: Only six months? I mean, it's not food.

I can tell you in AZ or CO? We could leave food in the open air forever. It dries out before it molds or decomposes, especially cheapy bread like that. I mean, the burger *might* mold, eventually, but probably not. I'm guessing his climate has as much to do with it as anything.

InksWell · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_wedding-woes_mcdonalds-happy-meal-resists-decomposition-six-months?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:47Discussion:2216b60e-1484-4adb-a499-2d0373c7690bPost:fa5e4fe8-4163-47f0-8649-67237dcb9187">Re: McDonald’s Happy Meal resists decomposition for six months</a>:
[QUOTE] I've seen dozens of episodes of Hoarders and not once have they found a fully in-tact McD's meal that has yet to decompose.
Posted by nicoleg1982[/QUOTE]

LOL

Heffalump · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_wedding-woes_mcdonalds-happy-meal-resists-decomposition-six-months?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:47Discussion:2216b60e-1484-4adb-a499-2d0373c7690bPost:5175c009-7e63-4567-b99d-3c06c55b9423">Re: McDonald’s Happy Meal resists decomposition for six months</a>:
[QUOTE]My first thought: Only six months? I mean, it's not food. I can tell you in AZ or CO? We could leave food in the open air forever. It dries out before it molds or decomposes, especially cheapy bread like that. I mean, the burger *might* mold, eventually, but probably not. I'm guessing his climate has as much to do with it as anything.
Posted by baconsmom[/QUOTE]
I was wondering that about drying, too. I mean, dried food lasts freaking forever, almost. Isn't that why the pioneers always had dried corn and beef jerky and stuff? See also: astronaut ice cream.

VarunaTT · October 2010

Didn't they already do something similar for Super Size Me? They compared a homecooked (or maybe restaurant burger even, I just remember it being more yummy looking) and a McDonald's burger side by side, same conditions and which one decomposed first?