what can i have from maccas?

[LimeSlice]

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]

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.

[ShootingStar]

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. "

[sconeonamission]

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!

[LimeSlice]

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.

[PumpkinZulu]

Limey you're so brilliant

Mmm might give in to my craving afterall...we'll see when DF is on his way home.

[Babyluv]

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.

[MrsB26]

I ate everything at maccas while pregnant including the soft serve. Its the only place i actually trusted to eat the soft serve from! yum, want one now

[LimeSlice]

Go for it Lily!! lol


Babyluv - you can eat salad from just about everywhere. As Taurean says the thing you are supposed to fear - listeria - is actually quite rare.
I personally eat most things form most places with no concerns. But then again because I worked in the industry so long and am a trained chef, it is easier for me to judge places simply by looking at them and their staff, their kitchens. That of course doesn't mean you can't get food poisoning from a clean restaurant, but it is less likely.

All salads you prepare and eat yourself in your own home are quite fine - just remember to wash the vegies before you prepare them.

[Babyluv]

Thanks Limeslice, you're a star!!!!

[*TripleJ*]

i love u limey lol i cant eat maccas without the shakes bloody soft serve lol coz of my indigestion but in my defense ive probably had maccas 5 times since i got preg one of the upsides to living so far from one

[Jakabella]

I was looking at the mayos last night at the supermarket and all but one ( praise fat free) had egg in them even the ones that are not labeled whole egg mayo. The kraft original and the praise original both contain egg if you read the back. I'm guessing that they have been heat treated though so the egg would be cooked.
The only thing I didn't eat from maccas was the thickshakes.. I did have the odd Sunday.
But I have not eaten maccas fir approx a year after it gave me a gall bladder attack and I was hospitalized for a week after having my gb removed... Can't bring myself to go back!!

[Taurean]

I was looking at the mayos last night at the supermarket and all but one ( praise fat free) had egg in them even the ones that are not labeled whole egg mayo. The kraft original and the praise original both contain egg if you read the back. I'm guessing that they have been heat treated though so the egg would be cooked.
The only thing I didn't eat from maccas was the thickshakes.. I did have the odd Sunday.
But I have not eaten maccas fir approx a year after it gave me a gall bladder attack and I was hospitalized for a week after having my gb removed... Can't bring myself to go back!!

Correct, supermarket mayos are heat treated. Fresh mayo (so homemade and often used at restaurants) is made with raw egg yolks. This includes fresh Caesar salad dressing and aioli often served with hot chips or wedges.

[Diamond75]

I'm sure soft serves/shakes must be fine from my local macca's because everytime I do the midnight macca's run they are always bloody cleaning the machines!!! GRRR

[Feijoa Mum]

I lived on Cheeseburgers with mayo or McChickens with extra mayo during my pregnancy. Soooooooo yummy and a hard habit to break now.
My backside is still paying for it

[Ahurani]

Bahhhhhhhhhh now I want cheeseburgers AND a chocolate thickshake! *cries*

[TaRhLi.]

This thread is making me soooo hungry. I have an ob appt today - just down the road from macca's - and was planning on sharing a chocolate sundae with DD (it's her 1st birthday tomorrow) but now I so want a Big Mac as well.

With DD macca's and KFC chips really helped with my m/s and with this one I'm finding that I am craving it again...

[WeeMansMummy]

Hey Limeslice... since you mentioned the common aussie use of 'flake'... i have been wondering, since flake is shark (to my knowledge) that makes it a no no?

Scary thing yesterday! Went to a co-workers farewell lunch in a tavern. They side salads looked AWESOME, i seriously considered just chancing it but didnt as i ended up getting a kids meal. Anywho... The other girls ate their salads and then the last one discovered dirty lettuce AND a rotten mouldy hairy red onion! Ewwwwwww.
On the subject i have heard its more common to get Toxoplasma (?) from unwashed salad fruit and vegies. And ppl only worry about getting it from there cats.