You don’t even need to be an enormous fan of the fish sandwich to like McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish. There’s one thing scrumptious about that crispy piece of flaky white fish, the cheese, and the bun that’s genius in its simplicity. Have you ever questioned what sort of fish that’s? If so, you’re not alone, and we’ve acquired some nice information for you. Not solely does McDonald’s pleasure itself on sourcing sustainable seafood, however the specific sort of fish it makes use of is a few of the most ample in Alaska. (When it involves meals, at the least.)
McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish might be brisker than you would possibly anticipate: It wasn’t lengthy earlier than you bit into your piping scorching fish sandwich that the fish inside had been frolicking within the waters round Alaska and the Bering Sea. That’s as a result of the Filet-O-Fish is made with Alaska Pollock. The fish that goes into your McD’s sandwich is wild-caught somewhat than farm-raised, and strict rules governing the business have made it not solely one of the sustainable fish, but in addition a inhabitants that is not overfished and ends in nearly no bycatch. (That’s a measure of different species which are caught together with the fish or killed by fishing practices.)
It is fascinating to notice that the The Filet-O-Fish was almost made with a very different fish. The preliminary plan was to make use of halibut, which was later changed with cod. It remained a cod sandwich for about 50 years, however right this moment McDonald’s prospects are served a fish that’s described as a sustainable and nutritious powerhouse.
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Using Alaska Pollock Allows McDonald’s to Be Sustainable on a Large Scale
McDonald’s sells loads of Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, totaling 300 million per 12 months (as of 2023). It is sensible, then, that its efforts to make use of sustainable fish are a reasonably large deal. In truth, in 2013, it started displaying the Marine Stewardship Council’s iconic bluefish, changing into the one nationwide restaurant within the United States to carry the excellence. This is a testomony to the sustainable fishing practices used all through the method of catching the fish from the seas to the second it arrives in your drive-thru bag.
The sandwich was the brainchild of franchise proprietor Lou Groen, who was in search of a meatless possibility that will hold Cincinnati’s Catholic inhabitants coming by way of his doorways throughout Lent. It’s secure to say it was a year-round hit, and Groen credit it with saving his franchise… and permitting him to open 43 extra eating places. While Groen mentioned his authentic halibut sandwich was a lot better than the Atlantic cod sandwich McDonald’s used earlier than switching to Alaska pollock, it’s secure to say sustainability is vital, particularly with 300 million sandwiches a 12 months.
Alaska pollock has greater than sustainability going for it; it is also prized for its delicate taste, flaky texture, and dietary advantages. It’s excessive in omega-3 fatty acids, and since it is frozen whereas nonetheless at sea, the fish feels surprisingly contemporary. And chances are high you have eaten it someplace apart from McDonald’s: It’s one of the in style sorts of fish within the United States, and it makes a superb Alaska Pollock Gratin.
