The Disturbing Reason McDonald's Once Had To Recall 1 Million McNuggets

McDonald's chicken nuggets — otherwise known as McNuggets — are ranked as the seventh most popular item on its menu throughout the world. Who can resist these wonderful crunchy chicken nuggets? Available in various sizes, they truly are a quintessential part of fast food culture. Unfortunately, through the eyes of one individual, they quickly became a miserable meal. In January 2015, an unknowing customer found themselves with an unwanted extra amongst their hot chicken pieces: a section of plastic. 

Mass recalls of consumable products contaminated with plastic are rare but not new. Remember when Johnsonville Sausage recalled over 20 tons of sausage? At least these pork sausages weren't ready-to-eat, which is more than can be said for the box of chicken nuggets that found its way to this unsuspecting individual. The incident in question led to the recall of one million McNuggets — a logistical nightmare significantly affecting McDonald's reputation.

The incident occurred in a small city located along the coast of Japan's central island, Misawa. Compared to other cities in Japan, Misawa is relatively small, boasting beautiful ocean views. Unfortunately, it may not be remembered this way for one McDonald's customer. The piece of plastic inside the chicken nuggets box measured 1.5 inches long, which is a substantial size compared to the 2-inch McDonald's nuggets.

Cargill, who operates the chicken processing plant located in Saraburi in Thailand, halted production immediately once the complaint was made. In a single day, they recalled almost a million nuggets. An investigation was launched, and Cargill officials issued a statement saying, "we will make any changes required to improve processes." However, it was determined in December 2015 that the plastic contamination was of foreign origin and did not come from the Cargill factory in Thailand. If not the production facilities, then where? This remains a question that has never been answered.

There are probably many things you don't know about Mcdonald's chicken nuggets. Take, for instance, the unlikely connection between chicken nuggets and the Royal family. But this recall of 1 million nuggets was much more serious, putting the brand's reputation at stake. The news of foreign contamination did not bode well for Mcdonald's image, especially in Asia, where it was still trying to recover from an expired meat scandal in 2014. The switch to sourcing meat from Thailand was in response to this, but with the unfortunate recall of chicken nuggets, its popularity dived (especially in Japan).

The company rebounded in true Mcdonald's fashion and is now as popular as ever. In 2023, it's the leading fast-food brand in Japan, operating over 2,959 stores. Did careful re-branding lead to the trust of McNuggets again, or is it perhaps related to the public's memory and attachment to the convenience of fast food? There was a certain McDonald's french fries scandal that you may have forgotten about too. If you're wondering how this slipped your mind, perhaps ask yourself why these incidents are so easy to forget. It might be why you keep returning to the big M.