In an eye-opening revelation, Mike Haracz, a past corporate chef at McDonald's, has taken to debunking a popular myth surrounding the forever-fresh appearance of McDonald's burgers and buns.

It is often conjectured that McDonald's burgers never rot, and their buns never sprout mold. On the contrary, Haracz asserts that this is a gross misconception. He explained, "When anyone talks about the McDonald's burgers never going bad, that is false. What is happening is that the bun or burger is becoming dehydrated."

The former chef proceeded to share that McDonald's incorporates mold-deterring constituents in their burgers and buns. If these items are kept in a moisture-retaining enclosed environment, they will start showcasing mold within a single week like any other bread product. As proof, he urged people to toss a McDonald's burger into a Ziploc bag or an analogous container and observe it degrade rapidly.

Haracz also shed light on the mystery as to why many find their weeks-old McDonald's burgers in a seemingly fresh state. He said that this is a result of dehydration combined with the restaurant's practice of thoroughly cooking their meat, thereby eliminating raw protein.

He further clarified, "there’s a lot less moist and fat in there," he continued, "the fact they salt and season after it’s cooked – so that salt is dropping the water activity. Salt absorbs any free moisture and that free moisture is what microbes and things use to grow.” Therefore, holding onto a burger for months on end doesn't aid scientific research, you are "basically making jerky and croutons," as per Haracz.

Beyond food storage myths, Haracz hasn't shied away from sharing other McDonald's secrets either. In March, he divulged the secret recipe behind the iconic Big Mac Sauce- a mix of mayonnaise, a quarter cup of sweet pickle relish, two tablespoons of Dusseldorf Mustard, a teaspoon of white wine vinegar, and several specific quantities of paprika, onion powder, granulated garlic, and white pepper.

Additionally, he unveiled in 2023, the least favorable time to visit a McDonald's - 10:30 a.m. Apparently, this is the most hectic time, as it's right in the middle of the breakfast to lunch transition. Quite the insight!