McDonald's — Restaurant in Modesto

I bought a double quarter pounder from here the other night and when I started eating it, although the meat was hot and fresh, it had a very pungent smell to it almost like it was cow dung. I’ve smelled this before in ground beef and I was wondering if anyone else has ever smelled this and is it dangerous? Update: This article came out 2 weeks after my experience. "McDonald’s shares fall after CDC says E. coli outbreak linked to Quarter Pounders PUBLISHED TUE, OCT 22 20244:20PM EDT: LOOK UP THIS ARTICLE YOURSELF! I suppose they cooked mine well enough to kill any possible pathogens.

PerplexityAI answered with this: “The smell you've encountered in your McDonald's burger is concerning and not typical of fresh, properly prepared ground beef. Let's explore this issue and its potential implications: -,-, Understanding Meat Odors

Fresh ground beef should have little to no perceptible odor[1]. When ground beef develops a strong, unpleasant smell, it can indicate several issues:

Spoilage: Spoiled ground beef often has a pungent, putrid smell[1]. This is usually a sign that bacteria have begun to break down the meat.

Contamination: A fecal-like odor could indicate contamination, possibly from improper handling or processing.

Lactic acid buildup: Sometimes, vacuum-sealed meat can have a slightly sour smell due to lactic acid buildup, but this should dissipate quickly after opening[2].

Potential Dangers

Consuming meat with an off-odor can be risky:

Food poisoning: Pathogenic bacteria in spoiled meat can cause food-borne illnesses, leading to symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea[4].

Toxins: Even if bacteria are killed during cooking, some can leave behind toxins that remain in the food and can make you sick[4].

What to Do

If you encounter meat with a strong, unpleasant odor:

Don't consume it: The safest approach is to avoid eating meat that smells off[3].

Return or report it: If the issue is with restaurant food, inform the staff immediately. For store-bought meat, return it to the point of purchase.

Trust your senses: If meat smells bad, it usually is bad. Follow the maxim: "If in doubt, throw it out"[3].

Prevention

To avoid encountering bad meat:

Check expiration dates: While not 100% reliable, they can be a useful guideline[2]. Inspect packaging: Ensure seals are tight and there's no excess liquid[2]. Observe color and texture: Fresh ground beef should be red (though the interior may be brownish). Avoid meat that's slimy or has an off-color[1].

In your specific case with the McDonald's burger, it's advisable to stop eating and report the issue to the restaurant management. The smell you described is not normal for fresh, properly handled ground beef and could indicate a food safety concern.

Sources [1] How to Tell If Ground Beef Is Bad: 4 Simple Ways to Check - Healthline https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ways-to-tell-if-ground-beef-is-bad [2] There's No Need To Worry If Your Vacuum-Sealed Meat Smells A Bit ... https://www.thedailymeal.com/1389228/vacuum-sealed-meat-smells-sour-safe-to-eat/ [3] What does bad meat smell like? - Butcher Magazine https://butchermagazine.com/bad-meat-smell/ [4] What Happens if You Cook Meat After It Has Gone Bad? | livestrong https://www.livestrong.com/article/550357-what-happens-if-you-cook-meat-after-it-has-gone-bad/ [5] Packaged ground beef from major supermarkets have weird smell?...

Horrible and I will never go back. No one in drivethru when I pulled up, order placed at 7:12pm. When I got to pick up window she asked if I had 6 piece chicken, I said yes nuggets, she then toldme to go park in slot 1 and they'd bring it out. Reluctantly I said ok, didnt even give me my beverage! So I'm waiting and waiting 15 minutes for a cheeseburger/ fries & 6 nuggets no sauce and large drink!!! WTF?? Few cars parked in lot and as I wait 2 cars come thru drive thru. Finally she walks with bag only at a snails pace to my car, I asked where's my drink? Also said I hope this food's hot when I get home. She sais its very hot and she walked slowly back to get my drink. 3 min later a male comes to my window with abag! I said is that a large drink in there? He said Idont know they told me to bring it out to the car. I said I have my food was waiting for my drink and suggested he go to the car parked next to mine with the bag. Now slowly walking towards me is a different female and now I'm livid! She has my drink but I told her I was going to speak to the managerand why, 20 min wait with very wrong service. She says with an attitude " what's the problem? I told her about the 20 min wait, she replied yeah? Then about the male with the food bag coming to me not knowing who was supposed to get that bag, her reply, " well he's new." I told her how terrible this was and I'd never be back! This McDonald's is on corner of Tully and Standiford- Dont GO! Oh and not 1 napkin in the bag and 2 different sauces when I...

I went through drive-through to order 2 apple pies. I paid with no problem as soon as I got to the second window lady that was working mentioned to me they didn’t have any. This was around 2 PM. I said that’s fine I’ll take a refund. She then proceeds to say you don’t want chocolate chip cookies instead, I told her no I’m OK I don’t like chocolate. I let her know once again I’ll just take my refund no worries she insisted to take chocolate chip cookies once again I let her know. I just wanted two Apple pies and that I didn’t like chocolate once again and I asked her can I please get my refund she slams window comes back GIVES ME PENNYS. When I say pennys she gaved me ALL LOOSE PENNYS as my refund. Yeah, absolutely not. I waited for her to come back to the window. And asked for the five dollar bill I gave her at the first window. She takes back all the pennies and comes back with nothing but dimes and quarters and penny’s . She said it was the same thing absolutely is not the same thing, so yeah, I waited 15 minutes to get my five dollars back. Not sure why she was having a bad day but that was horrible. And seemed everyone else was in a bad mood as well. As the person I am I still thanked her told her sorry but I hope you understand but that’s not right. I paid you with a five dollar bill not Pennys and she slammed...