I predict not. I expect the kaolinite in the "shakes" to sit there inert for a geologic time scale - it is a type of clay, often used as drillers mud in oil fields.

But maybe there is some other chemical in the shakes that will make them look or be nasty -- or even break down the clay particles somehow...

The sugar in the shakes may act as a biological food source. I suspect that at some point the shakes may begin to get funky.

As another test, I should look to grill a burger and use a fresh roll and duplicated the 'test'.

Another thought I had was to send the stuff in for nutritional analysis. Granted the crap from the places is just that - crap. But they should have a certain caloric, protein, fat and carbo profile when initially cooked. Does that change when the stuff ages? Is the only thing that would change be taste and consistency? Hmmm - if the stuff contains the same amount of protein, fat and carbos as well as calories then BK and McD's can market their food for long survival storage! Could be just the marketing angle they need!!!!

Fresh food won't last but ours last for decades - it ain't the best for you but when the Zombies come its better than rats and bugs!!!

I think the Lube Master might have to keep the burgers for a while.

Here is a link to a Naturalnews story about burgers not decomposing:
Why McDonald's Happy Meal hamburgers won't decompose - the real story behind the story

Inside the story there is a link to a video, that shows burgers from a burger 'museum', that are from 1989 :eek:

Craig

kaolinite? Not listed as an ingredient.

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/food/mcdshake.asp

they use a seaweed product as the thickener, not clay.

What happens to the hamburger if a cop orders it? :cool:


Seriously, I don't quite understand how prepared food served w/o bacteria is supposed to be bad.

Maybe if McD's had the cashiers (who handle money all day) go back to the kitchen, push aside the guy in the hair-net and gloves . . . THEN mold would happen faster for those who obviously want moldy food. (must be more "natural" some how. :-/

um.... what are you talking about island?

This?
Super Troopers - Liter of Cola - MySpaceVideos - Strimoo.com

Well, digestion requires a few things - the ability for your saliva to break down starches to form simple sugars, the ability for your stomach acids and enzymes to continue the process and as well as bacteria in your gut to work their magic. The fact that this crap doesn't move on the evolutionary scale and (save for dogs and people) nothing with a life force will eat it makes me really wonder why the heck I should or would eat it?

if you think that your food is sterile, let me be the first to inform you that it is not. the second the temperature drops below, say, boiling, molds and bacteria are on it straight out of the air. so really, i have no idea what you are talking about island.

I'll send ya some when I get home, I'm outta the country now.

What if its a guy, oh wait you knew that right.

I'm saying that places like McD's put a lot of effort into minimizing product exposure to fungi and bacteria. ...which, btw, are NOT all created equal. Many, for example, have a hard time growing on salted surfaces.

Just seems to me that this is all about nothing . .. other than a demonstration of a very simplistic model of what is (or is not) food, based the rate of fungal growth.

say, Mike, do you have access to a mass spec.?

this could be more interesting... you could maybe even get a publication out of it

I do! I also have access to microbial incubation as well as CFU (Colony Form Units) counting/analysis.

I really want to see if the caloric value has changed any. I can't see the fat, protein or carbs changing. As for vitimins...oh my Gawd I just made myself spew coffee from my nose!

It would be interesting to see if a home made burger does the same thing. Also a burger that is very salty. Is it the salt that preserves the other burgers?

+1, that would have made this really interesting.

Home made burger would be good, or at least one from a high end, non-evil-fast-food restaurant.

It's not too late, get one in there Lube!

Must be the salt. I will try the homemade burger but I suspect that it will not decompose either. I think that once the meat is cooked it does become sterile. Ground beef is rich in biomass - much surface area and exposure to the air. Upon cooking, the biomass is killed, the surface is the only area exposed to bacteria, mold or fungus and dues to after the cooking, the water content is drastically reduced. I think that the microbes need water to grow, spawn and feed. Lack of water reduces their chances. Cooked meat doesn't have as much water on the surface as raw.

My hypothesis is that it will become very similar to beef jerky in texture.

Again, its all guess work until the science can speak for itself.

Eat up kids.
Would You Like Ammonia-Laced Pink Slime with That Burger? : Mike the Mad Biologist
Yummy! Ammonia-Treated Pink Slime Now in Most U.S. Ground Beef | Environment | AlterNet

It would also be interesting to compare against Five Guys, who are gaining market share against the big chains because they claim to use real food in their food. Any chance you've got a Five Guys out there, Lube?

Dan

There's a 5 guys in southlake town square