Tooth, plastic found in McDonald's meals in Japan

[webfact]

Surprise sides: Tooth, plastic in McDonald's meals in Japan
YURI KAGEYAMA, AP Business Writer

TOKYO (AP) — McDonald's Corp. officials in Japan bowed deeply Wednesday to apologize for a human tooth, plastic pieces and other objects found in the burger chain's food, highlighting how consumers here are both loving and hating the fast-food eatery.

The hubbub over objects turning up in the food comes on the heels of a different kind of problem at the popular chain — a lack of fries, stemming from a shortage set off by labor disruptions on the U.S. West Coast. Last year, McDonald's in China and Japan along with other fast-food brands were hit by a scandal over expired meat from a Chinese supplier.

In the recent cases, a child's mouth was injured by a piece of plastic in an ice cream sundae in December. The fragment had fallen into the dispenser while being assembled, according to McDonald's.

In another case, a customer who bought a Big Mac set in August last year found a tooth in the fries. McDonald's said none of its employees at the outlet or its suppliers had lost a tooth, and there were no signs the tooth had been fried. It was still investigating how the tooth and plastic got in the food.

"To make such cases zero is our goal," said Takehiko Aoki, a senior executive. "We are doing our utmost to tackle them, one by one."

Aoki denied such cases highlighted an overall quality-control problem and called them "isolated" cases. He acknowledged there were other cases, including metal in a pancake and plastic in a McMuffin, but declined to give a tally of the incidents.

He said it was possible that outsiders had planted the tooth and other items.

In two other cases, pieces of plastic were found in the Chicken McNuggets, delivered from a plant in Thailand. One was blue, and so it could have fallen in during production, but the other was clear, a type not used at McDonald's, officials said.

"I will eat McNuggets. I will feed McNuggets to my children. I have no doubts," said Aoki.

McDonald's is popular in Japan, running more than 3,000 restaurants.

Over the years, it has survived "mad cow" scares and more general health worries about high calories. Orders for fries were limited last year to small servings because of a potato shortage. Large fries came back Monday.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-01-09

[zydeco]

Makes you wonder what's in the street food served up in Thailand, doesn't it?

[Berkshire]

Makes you wonder what's in the street food served up in Thailand, doesn't it?

Just gotta take a dig at Thailand, don't you? Well this happened in Japan. But I'm sure if this had happened in Thailand, the haters would be out in force to attack the Thais for lack of food safety. How come no comment about food safety in Japan?

[zydeco]

Makes you wonder what's in the street food served up in Thailand, doesn't it?

Just gotta take a dig at Thailand, don't you? Well this happened in Japan. But I'm sure if this had happened in Thailand, the haters would be out in force to attack the Thais for lack of food safety. How come no comment about food safety in Japan?

What an utterly stupid comment from an ignoramus who has no knowledge of my posting history, which is largely defensive of Thailand and its ways.

[shaurene]

Makes you wonder what's in the street food served up in Thailand, doesn't it?

Just gotta take a dig at Thailand, don't you? Well this happened in Japan. But I'm sure if this had happened in Thailand, the haters would be out in force to attack the Thais for lack of food safety. How come no comment about food safety in Japan?

What an utterly stupid comment from an ignoramus who has no knowledge of my posting history, which is largely defensive of Thailand and its ways.

The tooth has been planted 100%

[steveyinasia]

I eat the street food almost every night for the past 2 years, never had a problem. I don't eat at McDonalds so won't be having a problem there either.

[SOTIRIOS]

.....as for the tooth.....'a value meal'......take the tooth and cash it in........see"Tooth Fairy"......

[Baerboxer]

Makes you wonder what's in the street food served up in Thailand, doesn't it?

No.

Makes me keep avoiding the <deleted> McDonald's serves up these days.

[bongoz]

Makes you wonder what's in the street food served up in Thailand, doesn't it?

Just gotta take a dig at Thailand, don't you? Well this happened in Japan. But I'm sure if this had happened in Thailand, the haters would be out in force to attack the Thais for lack of food safety. How come no comment about food safety in Japan?

What an utterly stupid comment from an ignoramus who has no knowledge of my posting history, which is largely defensive of Thailand and its ways.

The tooth has been planted 100%

Just like your post

[natway09]

C'mn guys, when I was a kid used to get a plastic figure in my cereal every week,

A man in his life has to eat a certain amount of shit!!!

Much more concerned about things like melamine in kids milk.

Never heard about anyone choking to death on a tooth, have u?

[slipperylobster]

On a good day, you can get the "Happy Meal", but it comes with a toothless grin.