Going Viral: Happy 11th Birthday Burger Science Project!
Photo Cred: McDonald's

A viral post is showcasing how a McDonald’s burger meal has survived for 11 years without showing any signs of decomposing and is reminding us to all eat a little healthier.

 

Ohio, United States of America (08 January 2021) – How long could a Mcdonald’s Cheese Burger last for without perishing? Well for this family, it’s been 11 years… and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, anytime soon.

Melanie Taylor’s daughter decided to see how long a Mcdonald’s Cheese Burger, some Fries and a Chicken Nugget could last for before decomposing for her 5th-grade science project, and 11 years later, it seems the meal is completely indestructible.

And every year Taylor drags out the meal to celebrate another “birthday” and posts a photo for social media to see how the food has faired. Her post has been seen and shared with hundreds and thousands of people worldwide who are all commenting on how bizarre it is that the burger meal just doesn’t perish.

Going Viral: Happy 11th Birthday Burger Science Project!
Photo Cred: Melanie Taylor Facebook

But this idea that McDonald’s burgers don’t perish is nothing new to the internet, in fact, in 2020 Burger King created an entire ad campaign to talk about how their burgers are more natural… and then Nando’s completely trolled both brands with their response.

Why does food perish?

The process of food decomposing is a natural part of the life cycle of “all” foods, and it’s easy to detect by smell, taste, feel, or sight. Wonderopolis explains that when food is harvested, either in the form of vegetables, fruits, or meats (from animals), it becomes detached from the sources that gave it life. In other words, once you pick an apple, it begins to die immediately. Some foods, such as fruits and vegetables, have thick cell walls that keep the food in an edible state for several days or even weeks. Over time, though, those cell walls begin to break down.

What causes these changes within foods? Some of the primary culprits are air, moisture, light, temperature, and microbial growth. When two or more of these culprits get together, they can accelerate the spoiling process even further.

But why does the McDonald’s not perish?

According to the fast-food chain: To decompose, you need certain conditions – specifically moisture. Without sufficient moisture — either in the food itself or the environment — bacteria and mould may not grow, and therefore, decomposition is unlikely. So if food is or becomes dry enough, it is unlikely to grow mould or bacteria or decompose.

Apparently, food prepared at home that is left to dehydrate could see similar results. And McDonald’s say that if you look closely, the burgers you are seeing are likely dried out and dehydrated, and by no means “the same as the day they were purchased.”

Why is this a good thing?

Well, Morgan Spurlock tried to tell us in 2004 that fast-food was just not good for us in a documentary called “Super Size Me” and we believe this is absolutely true.

Going Viral: Happy 11th Birthday Burger Science Project!
Photo Cred: Super Size Me

This viral post serves as a reminder that we should be eating as much healthy food as possible, and that means food that is as close to its original source as possible! Fresh fruit and vegetables should be a staple in our diets, and that includes homemade burgers, with fresh potato chips which we are sure would not yield the same results as the Mcdonald’s burger when left out to see if they perish.

But hey, don’t take our word for it… let’s wait to see what happens to this meal on its 12th birthday.


Sources: Melanie Taylor 
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Recognised as one of the Mail and Guardian’s Top 200 Young South African’s as well as a Primedia LeadSA Hero, Brent is a change maker, thought leader, radio host, foodie, vlogger, writer and all round good guy.

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