KEY POINTS:
The investigation into whether a Whangarei McDonald's served a Big Mac with maggots has been "inconclusive", the Northland District Health Board says.
Isaac Tansley, 15, bought the Big Mac from the Bank St restaurant on New Year's Day and his dislike of gherkins may have spared him an unpleasant mouthful, his mother Lianne said.
"He took the top bun off to take out the gherkin, and then he said, `my God, Mum, look at this'. The whole patty was moving as if it was alive. It was gross," she told the New Zealand Herald.
The restaurant apologised and gave Ms Tansley $135 in vouchers, although she said her family would not be eating there again.
McDonald's national communications manager Kate Porter told the newspaper it was unlikely maggots had hatched in the beef patties, as there were strict hygiene rules and the meat was cooked from frozen when orders were placed.
The burger was sent to the DHB's public health unit, but "due to the storage conditions and time delay (before) receipt of the food item", it could not say at which point the maggots had found their way in.
DHB health protection officer Paul Reid said "a number" of recommendations had been made to McDonald's Whangarei in relation to food processing, but they were not "critical food safety matters".
McDonald's said it welcomed the report as staff had been "mystified" as to how maggots could hatch in the kitchen environment.
"The burger was 13 days old when it was received by the health board, however the report suggests the maggots were probably less than a week old," McDonald's managing director Mark Hawthorne said.
He said patties were cooked on hotplates at around 200degC, and the report indicated it was unlikely the maggots were subjected to heat.
"We have thoroughly reviewed and investigated food safety records in our Whangarei Restaurant.
"We assure members of the public that our restaurants are safe and clean to eat in."
He did not say whether McDonald's would be asking for the vouchers back.
- NZPA
