Happy Meal, happy ever after

By LAU KHAI YUEN

A McDonald’s burger kept for 6 months has shown no sign of decomposition.

Done initially on a lark to win a bet with a bet with a friend, Sally Davies, a New York artist and photographer decided to photograph a McDonald’s Happy Meal everyday and document its gradual decomposition.

There was no more smell after 24 hours. Sally Davies knew something went wrong.

“After a week or two, the photographs were very boring, as nothing was happening at all,” said Sally Davies. Dubbed the Happy Meal Project, it caught the attention of fellow Flickr and Facebook users after its progress was uploaded to these social networking websites.

“The Happy Meal stopped smelling of anything after only a couple of days, and the only change that really seemed to occur was that it essentially plasticized,” she said. “At six months old, the food is plastic to the touch and has an acrylic sheen to it. The only change that I can see is that it has become hard as rock.” This shocking discovery has raised much concern after it got covered in various news media. The increase amount of people relying online information as credible source of news also speeds things up as more and more forums and social networking websites responded critically to this issue.

Why won’t it rot, yet?

“McDonald’s hamburger patties in the U.S. are made with 100 percent USDA-inspected beef. They are cooked and prepared with salt, pepper and nothing else – no preservatives – no fillers,” said Todd R. Bacon, McDonald’s senior director of quality systems and supply-chain management.

“Our hamburger buns are made from North American-grown wheat flour,” Bacon continued. “Our world-famous French fries are made from potatoes and cooked in a canola-oil blend. These are the same foods that consumers buy everyday in their local grocery stores – bread, meat and potatoes.”

When asked to comment on Davies’ photos, Bacon cautioned against jumping to conclusions.

“Bacteria and mold only grow under certain conditions. For example, without sufficient moisture – either in the food itself or the environment in which it is held – bacteria and mold and associated decomposition is unlikely.” He said.

Davies got another thing in store for her at the mean time.

“I did win that bet with my friend.”