what can i have from maccas?

**feeb** · October 10th, 2010, 08:26 AM

Listeria can grow on most raw vegetables and salads. Lettuce because its never cooked is a high risk.

Cheeseburgers are awesome yum yum!!!!!!!!!!!

Avoid soft serve definatly.

**TeniBear** · October 10th, 2010, 08:29 AM

Ohhhh, so it's not just lettuce from Maccas, it's all lettuce? Okay, I gotcha now

Gawd, three and a half years of complaining, one year post-quitting, and I'm still defending bloody Maccas

Suppose it's because Scott works there and I have to defend his honour

**feeb** · October 10th, 2010, 08:33 AM

Maccas does not need defending its yummy LOL

**feeb** · October 10th, 2010, 08:35 AM

Hehe I ask for no lettuce always anyway as I don't like it!

Apart from cheeseburgers or quarter pounders! I also love Mcchicken no lettuce add cheese and bacon!!! yummmo I want maccas.

**hubba_bubba07** · October 10th, 2010, 10:07 AM

No soft serve or thick shakes as its the ice cream sitting in those barrels and they arent cleaned daily..mega listeria right there...Any pre packed salads, like the chicken salad is a NO NO , as is anything with Lettuce on it as it sits in a container accumulating germies too....

**PumpkinZulu** · October 10th, 2010, 10:18 AM

I'm sure it's totally fine to eat the lettuce, soft serve, soft cheese etc etc that you're not supposed to in preg, sooo many people do anyway...I guess it's just after 20 months TTC and 4 m/c's, I don't want to risk it, knowing me I'd be that one unlucky person

Mmmmm I'm fighting the urge for a big mac though, as I had one last night. Next week maybe

**ShootingStar** · October 10th, 2010, 10:35 AM

I think with filet o fish you just have to watch what other high mercury fish you eat that week aswell as it is made from Hake. Otherwise only other thing i steer clear of is soft serve.. in saying that i was a little naughty when pregnant with DS and had 2 soft serve cones.

**Babyluv** · October 10th, 2010, 11:39 AM

I think the reason with the lettuce is because it is pre packaged, same as for subway. Salads are fine if made at home because you know its fresh but pre packaged listeria can grown in it.
I was wondering about the sauces, like the tartare, mayos at maccas? I've been staying away from them because you can't have raw egg during pregnancy and wasn't sure if they were egg free, does anyone know?

I eat Cheeseburgers and I eat a McChicken but I ask for no salad no mayo and put on my own mayo (the praise light one has no egg)

**PumpkinZulu** · October 10th, 2010, 11:49 AM

I'd say the maccas mayo would be no egg, just because there are sooo many allergies, you know? Could be wrong though...Tenieeeeeeeelle?

**LimeSlice** · October 10th, 2010, 12:01 PM

No soft serve or thick shakes as its the ice cream sitting in those barrels and they arent cleaned daily..mega listeria right there...Any pre packed salads, like the chicken salad is a NO NO , as is anything with Lettuce on it as it sits in a container accumulating germies too....

The thickshake and icecream machines are cleaned daily, usually also cleaned again (in a non-24hour store) before they are filled again before opening. Also the mix is changed regularly throughout the day if they are not turning it over quick enough. Hence why often thickshakes aren't available at peak times.
They are also disinfected when they are cleaned. And are a refridgerated unit. The actual issue with soft serve ice creams is that they aren't frozen at the correct temperature.

The issue with lettuce is again not that is sits around. It doesn't. It is refridgerated and actually CLEANER than the lettuce you use at home, as it is pre-washed at preperation in a chlorine solution.
The REAL issue with lettuce, as with all salads, rices, and high water content foods that are NOT heat treated, is that for bacteria to grow you need MOISTURE - water. So the lettuce being made up of upwards 75% water, this is where the germs breed should anything become contaminated.
This is why most people who get food poisoning claim it is from meat, when it is most likely from the rice or salad they ate with their vindaloo.

I think with filet o fish you just have to watch what other high mercury fish you eat that week aswell as it is made from Hake. Otherwise only other thing i steer clear of is soft serve.. in saying that i was a little naughty when pregnant with DS and had 2 soft serve cones.

The MacDonald's Fillet of Fish is made from New Zealand Hoki Fillets.
Hoki is a white fleshed, low mercury fish, which you could eat every day with no accumulation risk. It is not hake, not a danger during pregnancy.
Hake itself is also not a high risk fish during pregnancy, again it is a white fleshed fsh, not classed as an oily or high mercury fish.

I think the reason with the lettuce is because it is pre packaged, same as for subway. Salads are fine if made at home because you know its fresh but pre packaged listeria can grown in it.
I was wondering about the sauces, like the tartare, mayos at maccas? I've been staying away from them because you can't have raw egg during pregnancy and wasn't sure if they were egg free, does anyone know?

I eat Cheeseburgers and I eat a McChicken but I ask for no salad no mayo and put on my own mayo (the praise light one has no egg)

Listeria can grow in your lettuce at home the same as it can anywhere else. And most likely it actually does. Food poisoning occurs at home almost as often as it occurs in restaurants, because people tend to think it can't because they know everything is fresh. Most cross contamination occurs in the home.
The other risk is that as their lettuce is stored prepared (ie cut) they increase the risk of bacterial growth simply by exposing more surface area of the product to the air. This increases the opportunity and habitat for bacterial growth. This is why you should ask for freshly cut cold meats at a deli - and not eat the ones that sit all stacked up presliced. It is between these slices that the bacteria grow exponentially.

The sauces from McDonald's and every other fast food chain are NOT made from eggs. Nor are most of the mayonaises you buy from the supermarket. Hence they are perfectly safe to eat during pregnancy as tomato sauce.
The only mayonaisses that have egg in them are also usually heat treated anyway, so the egg is technically 'cooked', but they are labelled as "Whole Egg" or "Egg" Mayonaise on the front of the jar and the fact they contain egg is used as a marketing thing so they let you know.

The issue with lettuce and salads from fast food is the risk of cross contamination because the the people working in them don't wash their hands often enough, do not follow the procedures they should, or wear plastic gloves while preparing food. Cross contamination occurs more often when preperation staff wear plastic gloves as they cannot feel when their hands are dirty, and also fall into the false belief that plastic gloves are cleaner and safer than their bare hands, which is false. They aren't changed often enough and by extension, the contamination occurs.

HTH clear up some confusion.

**Taurean** · October 10th, 2010, 12:07 PM

The issue with lettuce and salads from fast food is the risk of cross contamination because the the people working in them don't wash their hands often enough, do not follow the procedures they should, or wear plastic gloves while preparing food. Cross contamination occurs more often when preperation staff wear plastic gloves as they cannot feel when their hands are dirty, and also fall into the false belief that plastic gloves are cleaner and safer than their bare hands, which is false. They aren't changed often enough and by extension, the contamination occurs.

HTH clear up some confusion.

Well said. Just to point out something else about 'cross contamination', it's probably more likely to give you gastro which will NOT harm you unborn baby. I know it's scary girls and it's good to err on the side of caution, but listeria is actually very rare these days.

Macca's is very fresh fast food. Don't eat from salad bars, cold buffets (even be a bit careful with hot buffets) or any pre-packaged salads. And always remember to reheat any leftovers REALLY well (within 24 hours) or don't eat them at all. I'd steer clear of rice and pasta leftovers too as they're risky for non-pregnant people - they are a breeding ground for bacteria.

**sconeonamission** · October 10th, 2010, 12:14 PM

oh how scary!

I was so craving a cheeseburger yesterday, so we had maccas, but the cheeseburger wasn't satisfying

The bite I had of DH's big mac was fantastic, I should have had that.. Next time!

**Babyluv** · October 10th, 2010, 12:26 PM

Thanks for clearing that up limeslice

So is it best to just avoid salads, when eating from fast food restaurants?
What about the lettuce I eat at home, I must admit i've been eating alot of salad, just buy it from the green grocer and prepare it myself.
So if I have good hygeine practices, don't let my food become cross contaminated, wash it well and wash my hands well am I safe to eat lettuce and other salads? Or just avoid them altogether?
I might seem like i'm a little bit too concerned about the things I eat but I don't want to take any chances.

**Taurean** · October 10th, 2010, 12:00 PM

Go for it! I've never been a Macca's fan but I lived on their chicken burgers while I was pregnant with DD!!! I had my fair share of cheeseburgers too

I wouldn't be paranoid about the lettuce, really, this whole listeria thing is taken a bit far these days. Of course, the choice is yours, but I really wonder what would be left to eat if we stopped eating everything that's apparently dodgy. Last I heard, the listeria rules had 'lifted' a little. I have a few friends who are pregnant again and they have all said their doctors and OB's told them things are more relaxed, bbq chickens are back on the menu. Woohoo!

The sauces will be fine as they aren't homemade (it's the raw eggs in home made salad dressings and sauces that are risky) and like others have said, stay clear of the sundaes and thick shakes though.

**ShootingStar** · October 10th, 2010, 12:12 PM

The MacDonald's Fillet of Fish is made from New Zealand Hoki Fillets.
Hoki is a white fleshed, low mercury fish, which you could eat every day with no accumulation risk. It is not hake, not a danger during pregnancy.
Hake itself is also not a high risk fish during pregnancy, again it is a white fleshed fsh, not classed as an oily or high mercury fish.

I just googled Hoki and it says "Hoki is a type of fish in the hake family, found off the coasts of New Zealand and Australia. "

**LimeSlice** · October 10th, 2010, 12:20 PM

They are sold as seperate fish, and they are indeed not the same animal. The Hoki fillets McDonald's use come from NZ, which is where most Hoki is fished. They use Hoki like we use Flake.

Trout belongs to the Salmon family, but it is not salmon. Same thing with Hoki and Hake.