McDonald's taking waist-line worries to heart

By BRAD DORFMAN in Chicago

CHICAGO - McDonald's has made a weighty decision: to cook its french fries in a new oil that reduces fats linked to heart disease.

The move comes as the world's No 1 restaurant chain struggles to fend off intensifying competition and combat the perception among consumers that its quality is poor and service unsatisfactory.

McDonald's, which a decade ago tried unsuccessfully to introduce healthier options such as the McLean Deluxe and lower fat shakes, is now more likely to face a receptive audience, analysts said.

"Now people are worried," said John Glass, an analyst at CIBC World Markets. "Their knowledge of fat and the type of fat you consume is more sophisticated."

Criticised by some nutritionists for contributing to obesity and other health problems with its fat-laden fries, McDonald's said it would begin cooking them in a new oil that reduces trans-fatty acids by 48 per cent and saturated fat by 16 per cent.

Health experts say that reducing trans-fatty acids and saturated fat, while increasing polyunsaturated fat, can be healthier for the heart.

But fast-food addicts should not rush out to the Golden Arches and gorge themselves on the new fries in the hope of shedding pounds.

They will still have the same amount of total fat, with polyunsaturated fat rising 167 per cent. And the number of calories in a large order of fries will remain at 540.

Still, health advocates say, the reduction of certain types of fat, to be rolled out at 13,000 US McDonald's restaurants from next month, is a step in the right direction.

"[The fries] will be better, but they won't be a health food," said Margo Wootan, director of nutrition at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which has been critical of fast-food restaurants.

One large order of McDonald's fries will still contain about a third of the recommended daily amount of saturated fat and trans-fatty acids, she said.

McDonald's website says a large order of fries contains 26 grams of fat, with 4.5 grams of saturated fat. The daily Government-recommended amount, based on a 2000-calorie diet, is 65 grams of total fat and 20 grams of saturated fat.

In recent years, fast food has been assailed by health advocates for contributing to growing girths in America, where some 50 million people are now considered obese.

In July, a New York man sued four fast-food chains, including McDonald's, claiming the food contributed to his obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Some class-action attorneys want to take on the food companies and restaurants as they did big tobacco, companies, seeking billions of dollars in damages for health problems and deaths.

McDonald's, which pioneered the fast-food concept, also faces competition from chains such as Subway, which have tried to lure consumers away by promoting lower-fat, lower-calorie items on their menus.

The US, where McDonald's has been trying to reverse slowing sales growth, accounts for 60 per cent of the company's operating profit.

McDonald's insists the new french fries will taste the same as the old ones, which is a key for keeping customer loyalty.

"Their brand equity is so closely related to their french fries," Glass said.

Taste and low price are still the key attractions at McDonald's, several consumers in New York said.

"I don't care what they use, as long as it tastes good," said Rahman Anderson, a 24-year old mailroom employee at Chase, at the McDonald's in Times Square.

Other popular items such as Chicken McNuggets, Filet-O-Fish, hash browns and crispy chicken sandwiches will also be cooked in the new oil.

A spokesman for competitor Wendy's said the No 3 hamburger chain changed to a healthy cooking method six years ago, reducing trans-fatty acids and saturated fat by cooking in oil instead of shortening.

Burger King also said it cut the saturated fat level in its fries by more than 50 per cent when it switched from an animal and vegetable shortening mix to a partially hydrogenated vegetable shortening in 1990.

"While Burger King has made no decision to remove trans-fatty acids from the partially hydrogenated vegetable oil used to prepare french fries, it continues to monitor the latest scientific research for potential enhancements to our products," it said in a statement.

- REUTERS

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