(USATODAY.com)What's in McDonald's french fries?
Batches of potatoes, taken from a farm, are cut into fry shape at a Lamb Weston processing plant. The potatoes are cut into fries at about 70 miles per hour, according to McDonald's.
"We can dig anywhere from a 1,000 to 2,400 tons of potatoes per day…and the majority of these will go into McDonald's Fries," said Troy Grimes, director of Farm & Dairy Operations for Lamb Weston.
Then, 19 ingredients are added for freshness, taste and texture, according to the company.
Ingredients include potatoes, canola oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor, hydrolyzed wheat, hydrolyzed milk, citric acid, dimethylpolysiloxane, dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate, salt, canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, TBJG, citric acid, dimethylpolysiloxane.
They are partially fried onsite to get a crispy shell and then become frozen through a "freeze tunnel." This allows them to be shipped, the company says.
Frying is finished at McDonald's restaurants.
Meanwhile, the chain reported falling earnings and sales for its fourth quarter Friday, according to the AP. For the period which ended Dec. 31, McDonald's earned $1.1 billion, or $1.13 per share compared with $1.4 billion, or $1.40 per share, in 2013, AP reports.
