051142 Burgers Big In Oklahoma

From Quarter Pounders to breakfast biscuits, the world's largest hamburger chain serves up millions of meals every day.

However, did you know that many of those McDonald's favorites are made right here in Oklahoma? What goes into the safety and security behind the meat production process might surprise you.

Inside Lopez Foods, on the outskirts of Oklahoma City, this meat-processing plant is a major player in the McWorld.

"We do about 500,000 pounds of 100-percent beef patties for McDonald's per day," said Ed Sanchez, the president and CEO of Lopez Foods.

They also produce about 200,000 pounds of sizzling sausage, which are cooked first and then frozen. Five hundred workers split two shifts at Lopez Foods to ensure plenty of burgers are available come dinnertime.

Lopez performs its own quality checks -- 100 per hour -- from the foot bath at the front door to metal detectors that automatically spit out suspicious patties. There are even hourly taste tests.

"And after your third chew, you're analyzing whether it's juicy enough, whether the beef is too tough or too tender," Sanchez said.

If they pass, the patties are packed and delivered to a distribution center before being sent to all over the southwest, such as one of Jose Santiago's 17 metro restaurants.

"When we go to our customers and give them a hamburger, we know that they're gonna get the best there is without a doubt," Santiago said.

It's not just burgers McDonald's buys from Oklahoma companies; it's biscuits too, 2 million every day from Bama Foods. The Tulsa company also bakes every pie sold at McDonald's nationwide.

All combined, it's quite an impact that McDonald's production has on Oklahoma's economy.

Every week, Oklahoma food plants sell about 2.5 million pounds of burgers to McDonald's, 1 million pounds of pork products, 10 million breakfast biscuits and 5 million pies.

The Lopez Foods plant in Oklahoma City plans on upgrading its beef facility next spring, meaning they'll be able to make even more hamburgers every day.

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