BEIJING, Feb. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- At least three people in the United States have filed lawsuits against McDonald's, related to its disclosure last week that its french fries contain wheat and dairy products.

At least three people in the U.S. have filed lawsuits against McDonald's, related to its disclosure last week that its french fries contain wheat and dairy products. [Photo: Yahoo]

     Debra Moffatt of Lombard, Illinois seeks unspecified damages in a suit filed on Friday in Chicago. Her attorney said his client has celiac disease, which causes gastrointestinal symptoms set off by eating gluten, a protein found in wheat.

    Also on Friday, Mark and Theresa Chimiak of Florida allege in their suit that their five-year-old daughter, Annalise, became seriously ill from eating the fries because she has an intolerance to gluten.

    On Wednesday, Nadia Sugich of Los Angeles sued McDonald's, saying she is a vegan and would not have eaten the fries if she had known they contained dairy products.

    The fast-food giant, which previously said its fries were free of gluten and milk or wheat allergens, quietly added "Contains wheat and milk ingredients" to the french fries listing on its Web site.

    McDonald's said on Feb. 13 that wheat and dairy ingredients are used to flavor its fries. Jack Daly, McDonald's senior vice president, said the company is testing its fries for gluten through a food allergy research program at the University of Nebraska.

    Earlier this month, McDonald's also acknowledged that its fries contain a third more trans fats than it previously knew, citing results of a new testing method it began using in December. Enditem

    (Agencies)