A South Korean media outlet conducted an experiment to verify the long-standing rumor that hamburgers do not rot and has released interim results.
Asia Economy began the experiment on October 7 to see if mold would grow on burgers from McDonald’s, Mom’s Touch, Lotteria, Burger King, KFC, and Five Guys. They stored the burgers in transparent containers under controlled conditions of 20-25°C temperature and 50-75% humidity in their Seoul studio.
On October 14, after one week, three burgers—the Mom’s Touch Cy Burger, KFC Zinger Burger, and Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger—showed signs of mold growth. The Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger was the most affected, with white mold covering the bun, beef patty, and tomato, although the cheese remained unaffected. The Mom’s Touch Cy Burger had mold on the bread, chicken patty, and lettuce, while the KFC Zinger Burger exhibited mold on its bread and chicken patty.
In contrast, McDonald’s Big Mac, Lotteria Bulgogi Burger, and Burger King Whopper showed little change in appearance. However, the moisture in the lettuce had evaporated, causing the buns to shrink, seemingly engulfing the beef patty and vegetables and significantly reducing their size. The Big Mac, consisting of three buns and two beef patties, had completely dried out.
Asia Economy explained that it is difficult to conclude that a particular brand’s burgers rot faster or slower because each burger contains different types and amounts of moisture-rich ingredients. However, they noted that it may be possible to identify which brand makes the immortal hamburger that takes the longest to decay under the same temperature and humidity conditions. The media outlet announced they would continue the burger decay experiment until all the burgers had fully rotted.
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