On Tuesday, November 4, 2014 5:42:58 PM UTC-5, Travis McGee wrote:
> http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/...y_see_how.html
>
> Nov. 4 2014 2:49 PM
> McDonald's Brings in a Mythbuster to Prove Its McRibs Aren't That Gross
> By Alison Griswold
>
> There are a lot of questions about the McDonald's McRib. Is it real
> pork? Does it contain plastic? Will it bounce? McDonald's also isn't too
> crazy about some of these questions. So in an effort to dispel some of
> the more unflattering queries about its signature barbecue item, the
> company has released a new video on YouTube featuring self-declared
> McRib skeptic and TV personality Grant Imahara.
>
> The segment comes as McDonald's is struggling to revive interest in its
> fast-food offerings. Late last month, the company reported a 30 percent
> decline in profit in the third quarter and a 3.3 percent decrease in
> sales. It's being buffeted on all sides by widespread consumer
> skepticism, unshakable images of pink slime, and a seemingly undying
> love for Chipotle. So McDonald's is buckling down. As The New Yorker
> reports, it's launched a campaign to promote transparency and invited
> questions from the public. It's rolling out a series of videos and hired
> Imahara to be their investigative face. And come early next year, the
> champion of "I'm lovin' it" is also expected to debut a new slogan--one
> that perhaps acknowledges McDonalds' recent woes: "Lovin' Beats Hatin'."
>
> In the five-minute clip on the McRib, Imahara along with teacher and
> nonprofit director Wes Bellamy go to Oklahoma City to see how the McRib
> is prepared. Kevin Nanke, vice president of McDonald's U.S. pork
> supplier Lopez Foods, explains to them (and us) that the only
> ingredients in a McRib are pork, water, dextrose, and preservatives to
> "lock in the flavor." They watch as the minced meat is pressed into a
> McRib-like shape and then flash-frozen to be boxed and shipped; the
> segment ends with Bellamy and Imahara each eating their first McRib
> sandwich. For the record, we don't ever see Imahara take more than one
> bite of his McRib.
>
> One theory about the McRib is that McDonald's only promotes the sandwich
> when pork prices are low. While it's hard to confirm whether some form
> of McArbitrage is going on, it is noteworthy that pork futures have
> fallen pretty steadily since July and tend to hit lows during the fall.
> From that perspective, McDonald's Monday release of the McRib video
> makes a lot of sense beyond just its transparency campaign.

This reminds me of a story that was going around about 50 some years ago that
MacDonalds burgers were made from kangaroo meat. I thought it was hilarious!

Kate