{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 2037889,
        "msgid": "its-not-preservatives-why-mcdonalds-burger-buns-dont-go-mouldy-1791989476",
        "date": "2026-10-14 20:40:00",
        "title": "It\u2019s Not Preservatives: Why McDonald\u2019s Burger Buns Don\u2019t Go Mouldy",
        "author": "",
        "source": "CNBC",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Social Policy",
        "summary": "Experiments suggest McDonald\u2019s burgers can appear not to spoil because their small size and low moisture allow them to dry out before mould and bacteria can grow\u2014not because of secret preservatives. But when sealed in plastic and moisture is retained, they spoil, while the article also warns about the high sugar, salt and fat content of some menu items.",
        "content": "<p>For years, many people have been surprised to see McDonald\u2019s burgers\nkept for months or even years appear unchanged, without mould or signs\nof decay. Some have suspected that a secret preservative makes them\n\u201cimmortal\u201d. The answer, however, is much simpler, according to a report\ncited on Wednesday (14 October 2026).<\/p>\n<p>According to IFL Science, the scientific explanation, tested directly\nby a food researcher, is not a special chemical but the moisture content\nof the food.<\/p>\n<p>McDonald\u2019s burgers have several characteristics:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><p>The patties are thin and flat, giving them a large surface area\nand allowing them to dry quickly.<\/p><\/li>\n<li><p>Their small size means water in the bun evaporates\nquickly.<\/p><\/li>\n<li><p>The buns are also dry and dense, so they lose moisture\nquickly.<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When left exposed to the air, the burgers dry out faster than mould\nand bacteria can grow. Without water, microbes cannot reproduce\u2014just as\ndried meat or crackers do not spoil easily because they are dry.<\/p>\n<p>Food writer J. Kenji L\u00f3pez-Alt conducted an experiment involving nine\ndifferent burger combinations:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><p>Some used homemade buns and patties.<\/p><\/li>\n<li><p>Others used buns or patties from McDonald\u2019s.<\/p><\/li>\n<li><p>Some had salt added and others did not.<\/p><\/li>\n<li><p>All were left exposed to the air.<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The results showed that both McDonald\u2019s and homemade burgers avoided\nspoilage as long as they dried out. Salt and preservatives were not the\nmain reason.<\/p>\n<p>The clearest evidence is that if a McDonald\u2019s burger is sealed\ntightly in a plastic bag, preventing moisture from evaporating, it\nbecomes mouldy and spoils in about a week, just like other food.<\/p>\n<p>Although drying prevents it from spoiling, that does not mean the\nburger is healthy. The real concern is the nutritional content of food\nserved at McDonald\u2019s:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><p>A large chocolate shake contains 120 grams of sugar\u2014four times\nthe World Health Organization\u2019s recommended daily limit.<\/p><\/li>\n<li><p>One meal can contain more than half the daily salt\nrequirement.<\/p><\/li>\n<li><p>One serving of chips contains a quarter of the daily fat\nrequirement.<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/its-not-preservatives-why-mcdonalds-burger-buns-dont-go-mouldy-1791989476",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}