What does a McDonald's burger look like after sitting 14 years tucked away in its original wrapper in a coat at the back of a closet? Surprisingly, exactly the same way as you left it there.
What began as an experiment to show "people how enzymes work," Utah man David Whipple bought a burger and kept it for a few weeks, proving that nothing happened to it. He then stuffed it inside his coat pocket in the back of his trunk for another few months, which his wife then stored it in the back of the closet, only to be found again after some 14 years.
The McDonald's burger was eerily in its exact shape and form as when it was first purchased. The only thing moldy and damage were the pickles.
Appearing by phone on the TV show "The Doctors" recently, Whipple explained how the burger was found. He said the burger was bought July, 7, 1999 in Utah and still had the original receipt.
"My wife didn't discover it until at least a year or two after that ... And we pulled it out and said 'Oh my gosh. I can't believe it looks the same way.' "
The doctors attributed the lack of decay to preservatives. "If the mold won't eat, if the fungus wont' eat it, the bugs won't eat it, then maybe we shouldn't be eating it. All these preservatives are to increase the shelf life, but what does that do to our shelf life?" one doctor said.
McDonald's has addressed the lack of decomposition in their burgers before, saying:
"In the example of a McDonald's hamburger, the patty loses water in the form of steam during the cooking process. The bun, of course, is made out of bread. Toasting it reduces the amount of moisture."
Watch the video of the world's oldest burger below:
