I'm not loving it.

It's day four (Friday) and the Fruit & Walnut snack tray I bought at McDonalds on Monday is still relatively intact on my kitchen counter. Some of the pieces are starting to brown on the edges, but the majority of them are still edible-looking. You would at least expect some noticeable decomposing odor after four whole days, but this is frankenfood, remember? The green apples are starting to brown more than the red ones -- I suspect it has something to do with the acidic content of the apples. I am positive now that there is definitely some sort of preserving agent being used here, and is most likely the cause of our mouth irritation.

I went to the McDonalds website and viewed the Nutritional Facts.

Ingredients (Allergen statement in ALL CAPS.)

Apple Slices and Red Grapes: Apples, red grapes, calcium ascorbate (a blend of calcium and vitamin C added to maintain natural freshness and color.

Low Fat Yogurt: Cultured pasteurized Grade A reduced fat milk, sugar, food starch-modified, fructose, whey protein concentrate, corn starch, kosher gelatin, natural (plant source) and artificial flavor, potassium sorbate (added to maintain freshness), artificial color. CONTAINS: MILK.

Candied Walnuts: Walnuts (TBHQ added as a preservative), sugar, peanut oil, dry honey, salt, wheat starch, maltodextrin, xanthan gum, soy lecithin, natural (plant source) and artificial flavor.

CONTAINS: WHEAT, SOY LECITHIN, TREE NUTS (WALNUTS). MAY CONTAIN SHELL PARTS, OTHER TREE NUTS AND PEANUTS.

But this is way different than what's on the wrapper. The wrapper seems majorly down-played and there's something not listed above. This is what the wrapper says:

Apple slices and red grapes: Apples, red grapes calcium ascorbate (a blend of calcium and vitamin C added to maintain natural color), or Apples, red grapes, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C added to maintain natural color), calcium chloride.

So basically, we get apples and grapes with calcium ascorbate or calcium chloride.

WTF? Calcium Chloride?! Are you kidding me? Time to bring out my Wiki. Here's what I found on Calcium Chloride:

* It is used in concrete mixes to help speed up the initial setting.

* It is used for dust control on some highways.

* It's also used as an ingredient in canned vegetables to maintain firmness.

* Used as an additive in plastics.

* Used as an ingredient in the Cadbury Caramilk chocolate bar (reason unknown)

* Used as a drainage aid for wastewater treatment.

* Aqueous Calcium Chloride is used in genetic transformation of cells by increasing the cell membrane permeability. This allows DNA fragments to enter the cell more readily. (Freaky!)

* Tire ballast

* Additive in fire extinguishers

* Additive to control scaffolding in blast furnaces

* It can be used to make ersatz caviar from vegetable or fruit juices

* It is used in Smartwater and some sports drinks as an Electrolyte

* It is used to make fabric softener thinner.

..and we're eating this? Freaky.

Time to do some homework. You can learn more about the E-Series of chemicals, additives & preservatives here at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_number
or
http://www.foodlaw.rdg.ac.uk/additive.htm#3

Look at the ingredient list on the packaging of foods you eat regularly. Look up a chemical or an ingredient you don't recognize and see what it's made of and what else it's used in. In the UK, there are many of these ingredients that are not allowed in foods, unlike here in America. They learned that some of them just aren't safe. I have read extensively on the UK Food laws and I must say that it's impressive. But that's a blog for another time.


..i'm still not done yet. I have plans. :)

~ J