Would you like fries with that?

Today I bring you the ingredients of the “bacon sandwich” of a well-known fast-food chain:

Egg Patty [Whole Eggs, Whey, Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese (Monterey Jack Cheese (Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes), Water, Milkfat, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Sodium Hexametaphosphate), Green Pepper, Red Pepper, Skim Milk, Potatoes (Potatoes, Dextrose, Disodium Dihydrogen Pyrophosphate (Added To Maintain Color), Potassium Sorbate (Added To Maintain Freshness), Swiss And Mushroom Round (Swiss Cheese And Pasteurized Swiss Cheese Product (Swiss Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes), Water, Milkfat, Sodium Phosphate, Lactic Acid, Salt, Sorbic Acid (Preservative), Natural Flavors, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum), Roasted Mushrooms (Mushrooms, Canola Oil, Salt , Pepper)), Butter Flavored Oil (Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Salt, Soybean Lecithin, Artificial Flavors, Butter Oil, Vitamin A Palmitate Beta Carotene Added For Color), Dried Cream Cheese Product (Cream Cheese (Pasteurized Milk And Cream Cheese Culture, Salt, Carob Bean Gum), Non Fat Dry Milk And Sodium Phosphate), Soybean Oil, Onions, Modified Food Starch, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Liquid Pepper Extract And Citric Acid], Croissant (Enriched Unbleached Wheat Flour (Flour, Enzyme, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Palm Oil, Sugar, Canola and/or Soybean Oil, Contain less than 2% of the following: Margarine (Vegetable Oils [Palm, Canola], Water, Mono and Diglycerides, Potassium Sorbate [to Preserve Freshness], Citric Acid, Artificial Flavor, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D3), Yeast, Wheat Gluten, Salt, Artificial Flavor, Datem, Dextrose, Corn Syrup Solids, Fructose, Sodium Caseinate (a Milk Derivative), Monoglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Locust Bean Gum, Colored with [Tumeric and Annatto Extracts], Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Steroyl Lactylate, Leavening [Baking Soda], Azodicarbonamide, Pepper Bacon (Bacon Cured with Water, Salt, Sugar, Smoke Flavoring, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite, Bellies Coated with a Mixture of Ground Black Pepper), Colby Jack Cheese (Colby Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes and Annatto (vegetable color)], Monterey Jack Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes]).

But of course nowadays fast food chains cater for healthy eaters too, so there are several salads on the menu. You can’t go far wrong with a salad, right? Well, we’ll skip the Chicken and the Caesar but let’s take a look at the ingredient list of their Mediterranean Salad……… Just lettuce, tomatoes and…

Fat Free Italian Dressing [Water, Distilled Vinegar, Maltodextrin, Corn Syrup, Sugar, Salt, Modified Food Starch, Less Than 1% Of Garlic, Onion, Red Bell Peppers, Spices, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate And Potassium Sorbate (Preservatives) Calcium Disodium EDTA (To Protect Flavor), Yellow #5, Yellow #6], Feta Cheese [Pasteurized Cow’s Milk, Nonfat Dry Milk, Salt, Anti-Caking Agent (Potato Starch), Cheese Cultures, Enzymes], Carrots, Roasted Red Peppers Roasted [Peppers, Water, Salt, Citric Acid], Cucumber, Onion, Black Olives (Olives, Water, Salt, Ferrous Gluconate), Cheese & Garlic Croutons [Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Barley Malt, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Water, Whole Wheat Flour, Yeast, Salt, High Fructose Corn Syrup, 2% Or Less Of The Following: Whey, Dextrose, Rye Meal, Parsley, Garlic, Natural And Artificial Flavor, Parmesan Cheese And Enzyme Modified Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Cultured Nonfat Milk, Caramel Color, Honey, Wheat Gluten, Calcium Propionate (Mold Inhibitor), Dough Conditioners (May Contain One Or More Of The Following: Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Calcium Stearoyl Lactylate, Calcium Peroxide, Calcium Sulfate, Ammonium Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Ascorbic Acid), Annatto, Extractives Of Turmeric And Paprika (Color), TBHQ (To Preserve Freshness)].

Bon appétit!

 

3 Comments

  • No guessing which fast food chain this was!

    Given that most burgers and other ‚Äòunidentified fake food stuff’ have to be thrown out less than 30mins after their making, it beggars belief why so many preservatives and chemicals need to be added. I suppose the individual parts that make up the ‚Äòfrankenfood’ could be months or even years old. There should be warning labels on these fast food items, “warning, please consume within 10 mins or this burger will self destruct!”. This ingredient list is so insane, it reminds me that we all need to be vigilant in this sick society we live in and not ‚Äòfall asleep at the plate’!

    “It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society” Kirshnamurti

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  • Thanks so much for highlighting this – too many people are too blas√© about “the occasional treat” of junk food for themselves or their kids. I recently watched the brave experiment of the man who made the Supersize Me documentary, which was both fascinating and frightening. My youngest two have never been to McDonald’s or Burger King but regrettably I’d be surprised if there are any other children in their school who could make that claim.

    It’s not just the fast food outlets though – last weekend, my youngest went to a friend’s birthday party where I had to choose his party meal from a choice of cheeseburger, hamburger, nuggets or sausages. As the party was in a children’s play centre amongst the arcades on Margate seafront, it was clearly all going to be very cheap and horrendous quality processed food. Fortunately, I’d already plied him with some organic pasta before going but I knew he couldn’t sit amongst the other children with no food so I very reluctantly ordered him just a few chips.

    Jamie Oliver did a great job of highlighting all the processed food in schools, but over time the good he did probably does fade and people still include fast food in their diet too often without knowing (or caring) about what they’re eating.

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