The coveted McRib. Yes, the triumphant return of the beloved McDonald’s sandwich will continue to grace the fast-food giant’s menu for another two weeks. Despite the pop culture history behind the McRib, I’ve never been one to really feel the need to try one. I guess after this article I’d probably stick with that notion. The Week has analyzed what’s inside this elusive cult icon and as expected, it’s not pretty.
First off, the sandwich looks like it’s made up of say 5 ingredients: meat, barbeque sauce, onions, pickles and buns. Abit of chemistry would determine that the McRib contains 70 ingredients, with 34 being reserved just for the bun itself. The special ingredient locked inside that tasty bun is azodicarbonamide, a flour-bleaching agent banned in Europe and Australia that is also used in foamed plastics such as gym mats and shoe soles.
The meat department doesn’t look too comforting either. The ‘ribs’ are basically a puréed mixture of pig tripe, heart, and scalded stomach that is then blended with salt and water to extract necessary proteins that help reshape the meat product for consumption. Alarming, but not surprising from McDonald’s (here and here). I guess for $2.79 though, you certainly get what you pay for.
… I just vomited in my mouth a little.