By now, we’ve all probably heard about the differences in ingredients for McDonald’s world-famous French fries between the United States and Europe, notably the United Kingdom.
It turns out that McDonald’s has been adding a few more ingredients to its US fries than in its UK ones.
Ingredients Comparison
But before we find out which ones, let me just say that McDonald’s does not make it easy to find its nutritional information on its US website, but it is very easy to see it on its UK website.
I had to go through the nutrition calculator to find the listed ingredients. You can access it here: (“McDonald’s Nutrition Calculator: Calories and More | McDonald’s,” 2022)
Frying Oil Comparison
Let’s examine the oil first.
The UK version clearly states only one oil for frying: rapeseed oil, also known as canola oil.
The US version contains a blend of many oils, including Corn, Soybean, Canola, and Hydrogenated Soybean Oil.
McDonald’s proudly states that its fries do not contain trans fats, but in the U.S. version, they use hydrogenated soybean oil, which is saturated fat.
A large serving of the World-Famous Fries has 480 Calories and 16% of the daily value of saturated fat.
Why is McDonald’s using hydrogenated fat for frying while the rest of the world has moved on to healthier options?
The U.S. food industry prefers frying in hydrogenated oils (saturated) over canola oil (or other non-hydrogenated oils) for practical, economical, and technical reasons.
Some of these are:
- Hydrogenation stabilizes oils, making them more resistant to oxidation and rancidity and resulting in a longer shelf life for the oil and the fried food product.
- Hydrogenated oils have a higher heat stability than many non-hydrogenated oils. They can be heated and reused repeatedly without needing to be replaced very quickly.
- Due to large-scale domestic soybean production, soybean oil has historically been cheaper and more readily available in the U.S. than canola oil.
What about ‘natural beef flavoring’?
In the U.S., McDonald’s also adds food additives to their oil, such as ‘natural beef flavoring,’ which comes from hydrolyzed wheat protein and hydrolyzed milk protein to give it a nice taste.
Hydrolyzed wheat and milk proteins are considered additives used to enhance flavor in processed foods.
They are made through protein hydrolysis, breaking down proteins into smaller peptides or amino acids.
Hydrolysis releases amino acids like glutamic acid, which combines with the salt to provide a savory or umami ‘meaty’ flavor.
It’s hard to tell what McDonald’s ‘natural beef flavor’ really is; it doesn’t elaborate, except that it comes from hydrolyzed wheat and milk proteins and is not vegan.
Under the umbrella of ‘Natural Beef Flavor,’ it could be a combination of many different food additives.
Dextrose
Dextrose is a corn sugar used by the food industry to achieve consistent-looking food products.
In order to get the same-looking golden-colored fries in every batch, McDonald’s coats them with dextrose.
This is done both in the US and the UK.
What Is Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate?
Sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP) is a synthetic food additive used for multiple purposes in processed foods.
It can be a leavening agent, a reducing or oxidizing agent, an emulsifying agent, and a color stabilizer (Han, 2020).
In the US, McDonald’s adds it to the fries to maintain their light golden appearance during cooking and processing.
Without it, potatoes’ natural sugars and starches could react with heat or air, causing undesirable browning.
Even though the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has approved its use in food, it is not added to the UK fries.
McDonald’s Double Standards
U.S. McDonald’s Fries | U.K. McDonald’s Fries | |
Oil Type | Canola, corn, soybean, hydrogenated soybean oil | Sunflower or rapeseed |
Additives | Natural beef flavor (contains milk/wheat) | None, vegan-friendly |
Saturated Fat | Higher (hydrogenated oils) | Lower |
Unstaturated Fat | Moderate | Higher (monounsaturated fats) |
Health Profile | Higher in saturated fats | Lower in unhealthy fats |
McDonald’s decision to use relatively healthier ingredients in the U.K. reflects its adaptation to European consumer expectations and maintenance of a cleaner, more natural image.
This completely contrasts with the U.S. market, where consumer priorities and regulatory norms allow for broader use of food additives like sodium acid pyrophosphate and beef flavorings in their vegetable oil blend for frying.
McDonald’s states that it always strives to improve the quality of its fries. If it can achieve the same taste, color, and texture as its world-famous Fries in the U.K. without these added chemicals, why can it not do the same in the U.S.?
The answer is simple: it is because they can get away with putting a longer list of ingredients here in the United States instead of adjusting their operations!
