Food scares cost McDonald’s in Asia, sales fall

McDonald's Corp. said its performance in Asia was hurt by customer perception issues in Japan, where a human tooth, plastic pieces and other objects have been found in its food. In China, McDonald's is trying to recover from the ongoing fallout from another food-safety scandal. Over the summer, an undercover TV report in the country showed one of McDonald's major suppliers repackaging meat that was alleged to be expired. The claim has not been publicly confirmed by the supplier or the government. But the plant stopped operations, and many of McDonald's restaurants in the country were left unable to sell burgers, chicken nuggets and other items. The chain's reputation took a hit as well. Chief Financial Officer Peter Bensen said during a January conference call that McDonald's estimates it will take at least three to six more months for its business in China to return to normal. He said worsening perceptions are expected to hurt Japan's results for "the foreseeable future."