Aussies beg McDonald’s to bring European item Down Under

A fast food giant has confirmed that a popular menu item in Europe won’t be hitting Australian shores any time soon.

A fast food giant has confirmed a popular menu item in Europe won’t be hitting Australian shores any time soon.

Food blogger Christopher Tsalikis, who goes by @melbourne_coeliac online, took to social media to beg McDonald’s Australia introduce the gluten free cheeseburger, which is sold in Italy.

“McDonald’s Australia, I’m calling you out right now. Why don’t we have gluten free Macca’s in Australia,” Mr Tsalikis asked.

“Why do coeliacs in Australia have to suffer.”

Coeliac disease is an auto-immune condition where the body cannot break down gluten, which is found in wheat, rye and barley. One in 75 Australians suffer from the condition and four out of five are undiagnosed.

If left unchecked it can lead to serious conditions such as bowel cancer and osteoporosis.

Christopher Tsalikis is demanding gluten free Macca's options. Picture: TikTok/@melbourne_coeliac

It means that items such as burgers are usually off the menu for coeliacs, particularly in a kitchen where cross contamination is a risk.

“This is an untapped market and we desperately need options that are coeliac safe,” he said.

“If Europe can do it, then do it here.”

Italy isn’t the only place where there are gluten free burgers. Spain has had gluten free Big Macs. Portugal has six burgers that can have gluten free buns added to them. Sweden, Switzerland and Finland also have options on offer.

Other social media users weighed in on the request.

“You made me so excited and then so disappointed within a few seconds,” one social media user demanded.

Many European countries have gluten free options. Picture: Alamy

Another declared: “I’ve had it! It’s soooo good. Such a shame they don’t have it here.”

“I’ve had it in Italy and it was life changing! I love Maccas so much and it would be life changing if you guys had gluten free buns,” another social media user said.

One added: “Yes please! Literally no fast food places especially on road trips where we can get an actual meal.”

Despite the demands, a spokesperson confirmed to news.com.au that there were no plans to bring the burger — which comes and is cooked in its own packaging — to Australia.

news.com.au understands due to regulations around how coeliac-friendly food needs to be prepared in order to be consider safe to consume.

This includes the fact that there can’t be any space for cross contamination.

Originally published as Aussies beg McDonald’s to bring European item Down Under