A Cheeseburger to Haunt Your Dreams

What happens to a cheeseburger from McDonalds if you leave it there for a long time—as in, two years? Well, precious little, apparently. And that's the terrifying part.

When a pair of chiropractors in Michigan left their leftovers on the counter of their clinic, even they were probably shocked at the outcome.

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Far from being subject to the laws of decay that apply to the rest of the food chain, the McD's burger—as well as a chicken taco from Taco Bell—failed to attract mould, nasty smells, and basically just sat there staring back at patients who visited the clinic. Even the lettuce barely browned or wilted.

The fast food display failed to attract ants and other bugs in the summer months. Seems the insects know to avoid it.

Even the cheese and pickle topping the burger are eerily intact. The burger, claimed Dr Jacqueline Vaughn "[is] basically mummified."

The reason for the food's relative immortality can be attributed to a wonder preservative called calcium probinate (CP), used to keep all kinds of foods—from processed meat, breads and cakes—looking "fresh."

Though CP is non-toxic and reportedly 'safe' to consume, it doesn't follow that you should do so often, as it can inflame the stomach.

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If that doesn't make us think twice about what we eat, then nothing will. I'm no nutritional dictator. My son's diet is balanced in that he occasionally eats junk food.

In fact, over the holidays he had a Happy Meal. He chose the grilled cheese and apple slices (which mysteriously don't brown either). I don't kid myself that this is somehow a 'healthy' option. But since I can count the times we visit McD's in a year on one hand, I don't sweat it.

But a picture really is worth a thousand words.

^{Image Source: WikiCommons}