[Sonsowey]

"McDonald's was hit with a lawsuit last week by food regulators in the northern city of Novgorod who alleged the fast-food giant had misrepresented the fat content and nutritional values of its cheeseburgers, Filet-O-Fish sandwiches and shakes. On Monday, the federal agency responsible for monitoring food quality said it had begun a probe of whether cheese imported by McDonald's for its 430 Russian outlets contained impermissible antibiotics, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

Russia Today television reported that the investigation was focused on reports that cheese imported to Russia by McDonald's from Germany and the Czech Republic contained natamycin, an antibiotic approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prevent mold and yeast growth in pre-sliced and shredded cheese.

The Russia-wide investigation into the purity of McDonald's menu items was prompted by "a great number of complaints," Rosselkhoznadzor spokesman Alexei Alexeyenko told Russia Today."

http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-f...story.html

The linked report labels this a political move taken against U.S. franchises. The possibility that McDonald's is awful food is not seriously considered in the report.

Even if it is just a political move, it will have positive health effects for Russia. Good move, whatever the motivation is.

[El Chinito loco]

(08-03-2014 09:56 PM)Sonsowey Wrote:  

Even if it is just a political move, it will have positive health effects for Russia. Good move, whatever the motivation is.

It is most definitely political but it's really just shooting themselves in the foot. Most franchises like mcdonalds are held by completely foreign franchisers in countries like Russia. So it's likely some big time Russian investor getting hurt by this. Also, the true value of Mcdonalds franchises is the prime real estate owned. A Mcdonalds can go bankrupt then just sit on the land and lease it out to another business.

With that being said fast food is garbage and I don't see anything wrong with this from a health point of view.

[runsonmagic]

[Suits]

McDonalds dropped their meat supplier here in China last month. They've been selling nothing but French fries, ice cream and pineapple pies since then.

They are looking for a new supplier, as the last one, Husi Foods, got busted selling meat that was past its sell-by date.

[Walderschmidt]

I have no issue with this. I imagine millions more feel the same way.

+1

Wald

[Cr33pin]

[simondice]

Mc Donald's should die like the cancer they truly are.

[Quintus Curtius]

This is the beginning of Putin's response to the misguided sanctions being pushed against it by the US.

Expect more of this sort of thing, as the squeeze will be put on US and British firms in Russia.

If the US wants to play games, Russia knows how to play games too.

[Ziltoid]

BREAKING NEWS: McDonalds food high in calories and artificial ingredients.
Holy shit, who knew!

I don't care what country you live in, you're dumb if you eat there and think you're getting anything less.

[Sp5]

It's bullshit when regulatory agencies and prosecutors are used for naked political ends.

[Sonsowey]

(08-03-2014 11:19 PM)Sp5 Wrote:  

It's bullshit when regulatory agencies and prosecutors are used for naked political ends.

Everything is political ultimately.

The decision to allow McDonald's to operate in Russia was political.

I understand your concern that this power can be misused. Clearly it can. But so can any governmental power. At least here, I think, we should celebrate a blow against one of the single largest proprietors of obesity worldwide.

[Tex Pro]

Let's hope McDonald's gets banned in Russia. It would be great for Russian women's figures.

[Mentavious]

If this is Russia's attemp to 'sanction' the US then so be it.

Putin should step up his game and block Instagram or Twitter.

[Walderschmidt]

(08-04-2014 12:06 AM)Mentavious Wrote:  

If this is Russia's attemp to 'sanction' the US then so be it.

Putin should step up his game and block Instagram or Twitter.

And make a Russian version, like VK to Facebook.

Wald

[Constitution45]

Ironically enough Macdonalds is probably one of the healthiest fast food joints in Russia. You don't want to try the Tajiki kebab shops which are everywhere, they can literally kill you. It's either that or the socialist era potato shops that will just depress you if you keep going there.

[TigerMandingo]

(08-04-2014 06:39 AM)Constitution45 Wrote:  

Ironically enough Macdonalds is probably one of the healthiest fast food joints in Russia. You don't want to try the Tajiki kebab shops which are everywhere, they can literally kill you. It's either that or the socialist era potato shops that will just depress you if you keep going there.

There are plenty of good fast food places in Russia. You will not die from eating at the Tajik, Georgian kebab shops as long as you have a decent immune system

The best fast food joint IMO is Chaynaya Lozhka (Teaspoon).

[Constitution45]

(08-04-2014 07:08 AM)Cunnilinguist Wrote:  

(08-04-2014 06:39 AM)Constitution45 Wrote:  

Ironically enough Macdonalds is probably one of the healthiest fast food joints in Russia. You don't want to try the Tajiki kebab shops which are everywhere, they can literally kill you. It's either that or the socialist era potato shops that will just depress you if you keep going there.

There are plenty of good fast food places in Russia. You will not die from eating at the Tajik, Georgian kebab shops as long as you have a decent immune system

The best fast food joint IMO is Chaynaya Lozhka (Teaspoon).

Man I nearly died after having a night out in Moscow, after eating Shrawma, it gave me a LSD styled trip in the process. The Teaspoon places are okay if you have a thing for pancakes. I agree if you are around the shopping malls you can find decent places in the food courts, but on the street on the way to work or on a night out, there was very little.

[Chaos]

(08-04-2014 06:39 AM)Constitution45 Wrote:  

Ironically enough Macdonalds is probably one of the healthiest fast food joints in Russia. You don't want to try the Tajiki kebab shops which are everywhere, they can literally kill you. It's either that or the socialist era potato shops that will just depress you if you keep going there.

Totally disagree with everything. McDonalds isn't as popular as in other countries by far.

Ha,Tajik and Kirgiz шаурма shops are one of my favourites in Russia. They make the tastiest kebabs in the world. Always when I arrived to a new city I asked where I can try the best шаурма. Very tasty,cheap and filling. I miss the days when I could buy a bottle of балтика 7 at the same time.

I have visited these kebabshops countless of times and never had a problem and my stomach has always been like clockwork.

[TigerMandingo]

@Constitution, I hear you. That's the thing with Russia. Sanitation laws exist, but are not observed. No one gives a fuck about laws. There was a St. Pete's datasheet in the travel section where the poster said, "You just have to roll with it". That's a good attitude to take when travelling to Russia. If you go in there with a 1st world mentality and always expecting comfort, you most likely will have a shitty experience.

However, I still stand by my original statement. Street food in Russia is fantastic.

[Days of Broken Arrows]

(08-03-2014 11:42 PM)The Texas Prophet Wrote:  

Let's hope McDonald's gets banned in Russia. It would be great for Russian women's figures.

You think?

Russia:


USA! USA! USA!

[Chaos]

Well, McDonalds has cheap coffee...

[Parlay44]

I'm waiting for the McBorscht.

[Architekt]

(08-04-2014 08:09 AM)Parlay44 Wrote:  

I'm waiting for the McBorscht.

I had McCurry when I was in India. They didn't serve most of their normal burgers. Maybe they actually have some kind of beef in them?

[Constitution45]

(08-04-2014 07:28 AM)Chaos Wrote:  

(08-04-2014 06:39 AM)Constitution45 Wrote:  

Ironically enough Macdonalds is probably one of the healthiest fast food joints in Russia. You don't want to try the Tajiki kebab shops which are everywhere, they can literally kill you. It's either that or the socialist era potato shops that will just depress you if you keep going there.

Totally disagree with everything. McDonalds isn't as popular as in other countries by far.

Ha,Tajik and Kirgiz шаурма shops are one of my favourites in Russia. They make the tastiest kebabs in the world. Always when I arrived to a new city I asked where I can try the best шаурма. Very tasty,cheap and filling. I miss the days when I could buy a bottle of балтика 7 at the same time.

I have visited these kebabshops countless of times and never had a problem and my stomach has always been like clockwork.

Rather you than me, the locals always warned me that tajikis would jizz in the kebabs to spite the gopniks. Still the special sauce and chili mixed together would taste good.

The best russian food you can get, is the homemade stuff, the sort of shit the babushkas make in those old school cafeterias.

[Bad Hussar]

(08-03-2014 10:37 PM)Suits Wrote:  

McDonalds dropped their meat supplier here in China last month. They've been selling nothing but French fries, ice cream and pineapple pies since then.

They are looking for a new supplier, as the last one, Husi Foods, got busted selling meat that was past its sell-by date.

Despite the fact that I actually do know better, due to being involved in food supply chains, I still eat fast food burgers every couple of weeks. Not McD's, but all the fast food places are much the same. Knew one huge North American McDonald's distribution centre that was located literally across the road from a sewage plant. The consumers in that area had better hope they test the ground water for bacteria levels every day there...

Hamburger patties are one of the most disgusting processed foods sold for human consumption, though processed cheese isn't far behind. It's just two parts crap mixed with one part shit. I usually eat whole identifiable animal parts, such as the muscles, since commercial processed food will almost inevitably be suspect. But every couple of weeks or so circumstances will collude to "force" some sort of fast food like a burger one me.