During McDonald’s early years French fries were made from
scratch every day. Fresh potatoes are peeled, cut into strings, and fried in
the 67. ______. kitchens. With the chain expanded
nationwide, in the mid-1960s, it sought 68. ______. to
cut labor costs, reduce number of suppliers, and ensure that its fries
69. ______. tasted the same at every restaurant.
McDonald’s began switching from frozen French fries in 1996, and few
70. ______. customers notice the difference. But
the change had a profound effect on the nation’s agriculture and diet. A
familiar food had been transmitted into a 71. ______. highly
processed industrial commodity. McDonald’s fries now come from huge
manufacturing plant that can process two million pounds of potatoes a
72. ______. day. The expansion of McDonald’s and the popularity of its
mass-producing, 73. ______. low-cost fries changed the way how
Americans eat.
74. ______. The taste
of McDonald’s French fries played a crucial role in the chain’s success-fries
are much less profitable than hamburgers, and was long
75. ______. praised by customers, competitors, and even food
critics. Their special taste does not come from the kind of potatoes
McDonald’s buy or the technology 76. ______. that
processes them. The taste is determined by the cooking oil.
The mixture of 7% cottonseed oil and 93% beef fat gave the fries its
unique 77. ______. flavor.