Is McDonald’s a processed food? (all you must know)
Processed foods have had a bad reputation over the years. However, definitions of processed foods vary, and you’ll find countless definitions.
In general, a processed food is any food that has been altered from its original state. Usually, fast food restaurants fall into this category. To find out if McDonald’s has it, read on!
Is McDonald’s Processed Food in 2022?
All McDonald’s patties are made offsite in 2022 in a facility designed specifically for the company. Therefore, most people would consider processing McDonald’s food. McDonald’s burgers contain no preservatives or artificial ingredients. In fact, they contain only beef, salt and pepper, and no troublesome ingredients commonly found in processed foods.
For more information on how McDonald’s makes its food, read on!
Is McDonald’s meat processed?
The definition of “processing” varies. So it depends on your specific definition. That is, McDonald’s burgers are made in factories and delivered to stores.
Therefore, they are generally considered “processed”. However, McDonald’s burgers are made from 100% pure beef and cooked with salt and pepper.
Therefore, the company does not add any “artificial” ingredients, fillers or preservatives. For freshness, the burgers are frozen.
So a lack of preservatives may prevent them from being considered “processed,” depending on who you ask. Of course, McDonald’s doesn’t consider its burgers processed.
How are McDonald’s burgers made?
When customers ask if McDonald’s burgers are processed, they usually ask how they’re made. In general, hygiene is important to McDonald’s burger facilities.
In addition, the meat contains no preservatives, so factories must be careful of viral and bacterial contamination.
Additionally, all employees must wear protective gear and wash their hands thoroughly before handling any meat.
The only loose items used are metal, as the burger goes through the metal detector at the end. So if anything falls into it, they can detect it.
First, check the meat to make sure there are no bones. Usually, it’s chunks of meat that go into the factory.
Also, the bones should be removed, but the meat is carefully inspected to make sure there is.
After double checking the meat, put it in a very large container. These containers are used to transport meat to the grinding station.
Here, the meat is ground to the right consistency. All of this ground meat is then sent to a machine that shapes the burger into the correct shape.
So, to avoid using binders, the company uses a mix of fresh and frozen meat.
This unique combination allows the burger to retain its shape while still being malleable enough to be shaped.
Also, everything is very cold to prevent bacterial growth. Some burgers are tested to make sure they are 20% fat.
That said, to ensure proper cooking, all burgers must have an accurate fat content.
Once processed, the burgers are frozen and placed in bags and boxes.
Before leaving the factory, the burgers go through metal detectors to make sure nothing has been dropped or misplaced.
Are McDonald’s burgers real?
Yes, the company’s burgers use only 100% real meat. So McDonald’s burgers are as real as you can get.
Plus, they don’t contain any adhesive to help the burger hold its shape.
During processing, the only ingredient added to the burger is the seasoning, which helps improve the flavor.
Fortunately, there are no preservatives, so the company’s hygiene standards must be extremely high.
What are McDonald’s burgers made of?
McDonald’s doesn’t add much to the burger patty. That said, depending on the burger you buy, most of the additions are made in the store.
Once upon a time, the company used multiple seasonings in its burgers. However, McDonald’s now only seasons with salt and pepper.
Of course, this seasoning is done during preparation. Aside from salt and pepper, McDonald’s burgers contain nothing extra.
To learn more, you can also read our post on where McDonald’s chicken is and if you can reheat McDonald’s burgers and sauces at McDonald’s.
in conclusion
McDonald’s processes almost all of the company’s food in different facilities, so most people think food processing.
However, many of the troublesome ingredients associated with processed foods are not present in McDonald’s food.
For example, McDonald’s burger patties are made with only beef, salt and pepper; no preservatives or artificial ingredients are added.