When I go to a fast food restaurant, I often order the chicken, thinking that is the better, more natural choice over a burger. However, McDonald’s, Burger King, and Friendly Ice Cream are being sued by consumers for selling grilled chicken that contains a cancer causing chemical.
The chain restaurants were part of a class action suit filed by Cancer Project in the Hartford, Conn. Superior Court Wednesday. The lawsuit claims that the grilled chicken served by the restaurants contains the compound PhIP. McDonalds has been selling their grilled chicken sandwiches since October 2006. Last month, a similar lawsuit was filed against KFC’s new grilled chicken. California has listed PhIP as a carcinogen – a substance that is believed to create cancer in humans – since 1994.
Lawyer Daniel Kinburn of Cancer Project says that the lawsuit is not seeking to stop McDonald’s from selling the grilled chicken sandwich, but for the sandwich to be sold with a warning. Cynthia Goody, director of nutrition for McDonald’s, insisted that the company has very high food safety standards and that there is no scientific evidence to suggest that small amounts of PhIP can be created through the grilling process.
Reps from Burger King also feel the lawsuit is without merit, saying that PhIP is naturally produced when any type of chicken, meat, or fish is broiled, fried, or grilled. The company has agreed to post warnings of the PhIP in the chicken in California restaurants, but the company will not post the warnings nationally.
The spokesperson for Friendly’s, Maura Tobias, said her company either meets or exceeds “all guidelines and regulations for food preparation and safety.” She also agreed that any meat that is grilled, even at home, will produce a low level of PhIP.
I’ve heard for years that grilling is bad for us (probably because it tastes so good!). What do you think about this lawsuit? Should the companies have a warning about PhIP?
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