Thehamburgeris synonymous with Americana, but the origins of theburgerpredate our nation by a wide margin.
From there, the recipe eventually made its way to Hamburg, Germanyvia Baltic trade routes.
Still, a Hamburg steak is a far cry from the types of burgers we see today.
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Who invented the modern image of the hamburger beloved by so many?
It definitely happened in America, but where and when is open to debate.
No one is exactly sure who invented the American version of a hamburger.
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Others will point to"Hamburger Charlie" Nagreen of Seymour, Wisc.in 1885.
Fast-thinking Charlie flattened the meatballs and added two slices of bread.
Incredibly, 1885 actually saw another pair of hamburger inventors emerge.
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Many attribute the first hamburger toFrank and Charles Menches.
The fair’s location?
Like a force of culinary nature, it had been brewing for centuries before landing on our plates.
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Today,burger chainsare big, big business.
It’s estimated thatMcDonald’s sells over 75 burgers per second.
One important factor, however, hasn’t changed: Convenience.
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Prioritizing convenience over everything else can also have a negative side.
Here are some of the more unappetizing truths about the modern-day burger joints.
And don’t miss4 Burger Chains With the Most Food Quality Complaints.
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They’ve found WHAT in the soda?
Renee Godard, professor of biology and director of environmental studies at Hollins University.
Three of the samples from McDonald’s and six drinks from Burger King came back positive for fecal bacteria.
But, hey, there are plenty of non-meat options on the menu like fries, right?
In reality, the potatoes were being cooked in vegetable oil containing the “essence of beef.”
Back home in the U.S., however, it’s a different story.
To this day McDonald’s locations in America still serve fries with"natural beef flavor."
However, it is important to know that our French fries are prepared differently in other countries."
Aninvestigation byMetroin collaboration with London Metropolitan University tested samples collected from 8 U.K. McDonald’s locations.
Every single screen tested positive for fecal bacteria.
“We were all surprised how much gut and fecal bacteria there was on the touchscreen machines.
These cause the kind of infections that people pick up in hospitals.
Paul Matewele, a microbiologist at LMU, in apress release.
The CDC even calls it one of our planet’s"most urgent public health problems.”
The2021 NRDC Chain Reactionreport graded 20 of the top U.S. casual dining andfast-food brands on their antibiotic policies.