by Roberta Friedman
A person walks into a McDonald’s. She orders a Big Mac, fries, and a chocolate shake. Here’s what’s going to go into her body:
100% Beef Patty:
100% pure USDA inspected beef; no additives, no fillers, no extenders. Prepared with grill seasoning (salt, black pepper).
Big Mac® Bun:
Enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin,
reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, high
fructose corn syrup, yeast, soybean oil, canola oil, partially
hydrogenated soybean oil, contains 2% or less of each of the following:
sesame seed, salt, wheat gluten, calcium sulfate, ammonium sulfate,
monocalcium phosphate, ammonium chloride, calcium carbonate, baking
soda, soy flour, dough conditioners (may contain one or more of the
following: distilled monoglycerides, DATEM, ascorbic acid,
azodicarbonamide, enzymes, ethoxylated mono- and diglycerides, sodium
stearoyl lactylate, guar gum, mono-and diglycerides, calcium peroxide),
calcium propionate & sodium propionate (preservatives), soy
lecithin. CONTAINS: WHEAT AND SOY
Pasteurized Process American Cheese:
American cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), water, milkfat, sodium citrate, sodium phosphate, salt, sorbic acid (preservative), acetic acid, artificial color, soy lecithin and/or corn starch (added for slice separation). CONTAINS: MILK AND SOY LECITHIN
Big Mac® Sauce:
Soybean oil, pickle relish [diced pickles, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, vinegar, corn syrup, salt, calcium chloride, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate (preservative), spice extractives, polysorbate 80], distilled vinegar, water, egg yolks, high fructose corn syrup, onion powder, mustard seed, salt, spices, propylene glycol alginate, sodium benzoate (preservative), mustard bran, sugar, garlic powder, vegetable protein (hydrolyzed corn, soy and wheat), caramel color, extractives of paprika, soy lecithin, turmeric (color), calcium disodium EDTA (protect flavor). CONTAINS: WHEAT, EGG AND SOY
Pickle Slices:
Cucumbers, water, distilled vinegar, salt, calcium chloride, alum, potassium sorbate (preservative), natural flavors (plant source), polysorbate 80, extractives of turmeric (color).
Lettuce
Chopped onions
French Fries:
Potatoes, vegetable oil (canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor [wheat and milk derivatives]*), citric acid (preservative), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain color), salt. Prepared in vegetable oil ((may contain one of the following: Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness), dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent). *CONTAINS: WHEAT AND MILK (Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients).
Chocolate Triple Thick® Shake:
Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream: Milk, sugar, cream, nonfat milk solids, corn syrup solids, mono- and diglycerides, guar gum, dextrose, sodium citrate, artificial vanilla flavor, sodium phosphate, carrageenan, disodium phosphate, cellulose gum, vitamin A palmitate. CONTAINS: MILK. Chocolate Syrup: High fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, water, cocoa (processed with alkali), natural (vegetable source) and artificial flavors, salt, potassium sorbate (preservative), vanillin (artificial flavor). May contain small amounts of other shake flavors served at the restaurant, including egg ingredients when Egg Nog Shakes are available.
Advocates and menu labeling ordinances (like this recently adopted one in Santa Clara) aren’t demanding that this long list of (somewhat indecipherable, slightly scary-sounding, seemingly non-foodlike) ingredients be revealed to consumers of fast food in an easy-to-read format next to the register. Only calories. Where’s the beef?
by Roberta Friedman
A person walks into a McDonald’s. She orders a Big Mac, fries, and a chocolate shake. Here’s what’s going to go into her body:
100% Beef Patty:
100% pure USDA inspected beef; no additives, no fillers, no extenders. Prepared with grill seasoning (salt, black pepper).
Big Mac® Bun:
Enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, high fructose corn syrup, yeast, soybean oil, canola oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, contains 2% or less of each of the following: sesame seed, salt, wheat gluten, calcium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, monocalcium phosphate, ammonium chloride, calcium carbonate, baking soda, soy flour, dough conditioners (may contain one or more of the following: distilled monoglycerides, DATEM, ascorbic acid, azodicarbonamide, enzymes, ethoxylated mono- and diglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, guar gum, mono-and diglycerides, calcium peroxide), calcium propionate & sodium propionate (preservatives), soy lecithin. CONTAINS: WHEAT AND SOY
Pasteurized Process American Cheese:
American cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), water, milkfat, sodium citrate, sodium phosphate, salt, sorbic acid (preservative), acetic acid, artificial color, soy lecithin and/or corn starch (added for slice separation). CONTAINS: MILK AND SOY LECITHIN
Big Mac® Sauce:
Soybean oil, pickle relish [diced pickles, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, vinegar, corn syrup, salt, calcium chloride, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate (preservative), spice extractives, polysorbate 80], distilled vinegar, water, egg yolks, high fructose corn syrup, onion powder, mustard seed, salt, spices, propylene glycol alginate, sodium benzoate (preservative), mustard bran, sugar, garlic powder, vegetable protein (hydrolyzed corn, soy and wheat), caramel color, extractives of paprika, soy lecithin, turmeric (color), calcium disodium EDTA (protect flavor). CONTAINS: WHEAT, EGG AND SOY
Pickle Slices:
Cucumbers, water, distilled vinegar, salt, calcium chloride, alum, potassium sorbate (preservative), natural flavors (plant source), polysorbate 80, extractives of turmeric (color).
Lettuce
Chopped onions
French Fries:
Potatoes, vegetable oil (canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor [wheat and milk derivatives]*), citric acid (preservative), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain color), salt. Prepared in vegetable oil ((may contain one of the following: Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness), dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent). *CONTAINS: WHEAT AND MILK (Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients).
Chocolate Triple Thick® Shake:
Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream: Milk, sugar, cream, nonfat milk solids, corn syrup solids, mono- and diglycerides, guar gum, dextrose, sodium citrate, artificial vanilla flavor, sodium phosphate, carrageenan, disodium phosphate, cellulose gum, vitamin A palmitate. CONTAINS: MILK. Chocolate Syrup: High fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, water, cocoa (processed with alkali), natural (vegetable source) and artificial flavors, salt, potassium sorbate (preservative), vanillin (artificial flavor). May contain small amounts of other shake flavors served at the restaurant, including egg ingredients when Egg Nog Shakes are available.
Advocates and menu labeling ordinances (like this recently adopted one in Santa Clara) aren’t demanding that this long list of (somewhat indecipherable, slightly scary-sounding, seemingly non-foodlike) ingredients be revealed to consumers of fast food in an easy-to-read format next to the register. Only calories. Where’s the beef?