The McRib is a sandwich that consists of a restructured boneless pork burger shaped like miniature ribs, barbecue sauce, onions and pickles, served on a 5 ½ inch (14 cm) roll. It is made from a meat restructuring process developed by the U. S. Army to deliver low-cost meat to troops in the field.
McDonald's claims that the sandwich consists mainly of shoulder meat, but Chicago Magazine revealed that the ingredients actually consist of restructured meat products such as heart, calluses and scalded stomach. The McRib is made from a hamburger patty that contains pork, water, salt, dextrose and preservatives. It is then sprayed with water to prevent dehydration during the freezing process. After visual inspection, the meat goes through the grinder before taking the shape of a rib rack.
The pie used in the McRib sandwich in the past was made from composite ground pork shoulder. Azodicarbonamide is also used as a flour bleaching agent in the buns. According to McDonald's nutritional data, McRib is a problem even before you discover what it contains. It is high in sodium and saturated fat, and contains preservatives and additives such as sodium phosphates and sodium diacetate. The sandwich is also linked to animal cruelty due to its pork supplier Smithfield Foods' unethical farm conditions. McRib was first introduced in 1981 and has been reintroduced and discontinued several times since then.
It is randomly available at individual restaurants when they feel like it. McDonald's has recently released a video aimed at increasing transparency about the McRib's ingredients. The idea and design of the McRib was created by Rene Arend, while Richard Mandigo, a professor at the University of Nebraska, developed the restructured meat product that it is actually made of. McDonald's has always known about its customers' strange sandwich obsession, and its marketing takes full advantage of McRib's shortage.
