Yes, in the U.S., McDonald's fries are fried in oil that contains natural beef flavor, making them not suitable for strict vegans, though they are cooked in separate fryers from meat products to avoid direct cross-contamination with meat pieces; however, the flavoring itself contains milk, so they aren't vegan anyway, and in other countries like the UK or Australia, they are cooked in vegetable oil and can be vegan.
Short answer: No -- in most countries McDonald's fries are not cooked in beef tallow; they're cooked in vegetable oil blends. However, the exact recipe and frying medium vary by country and have changed over time.
Once in our kitchens, we cook them in our canola-blend oil so you can have them crispy and hot—just the way you like them.
McDonald's Fries Are Not Vegetarian-Friendly. Here's Why. The fast-food world is not a welcoming place for vegetarians, and although you may not realize it, that even includes McDonald's french fries.
Nope. McDonald's fries still contain beef fat, and it's likely they're fried in the same trans fatty oil that fries the McNuggets. They also contain sugar and a whole lot of ultra-processed crap you wouldn't expect to find in French fried potatoes. Are McDonald's French Fries Vegetarian or vegan?
The unhealthiest item at McDonald's is often cited as the Big Breakfast with Hotcakes, packing over 1,300 calories, nearly a full day's sodium, and significant saturated fat, making it a calorie and nutrient bomb, with other contenders including large shakes, certain Angus burgers, and large fries.
Now that the sting of miracle french fries has passed, you may be wondering, “But what about the fries?” As we mentioned before dimethylpolysiloxane (or PDMS) is the silicone compound McDonald's uses in its french fries to prevent the oil from foaming.
Ingredients: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural Beef Flavor [Wheat And Milk Derivatives]*), Dextrose, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (maintain Color), Salt. *Natural Beef Flavor Contains Hydrolyzed Wheat And Hydrolyzed Milk As Starting Ingredients.
Who won? McDonald's got into hot water with vegetarians when it advertised that its fries were cooked in vegetable oil, but didn't readily disclose that the fries were flavored with beef tallow. McDonald's was sued by several vegetarians and Hindus who do not eat meat for ethical and/or religious reasons.
In 1990, the company announced that they would replace the beef tallow with 100 percent vegetable oil. After the announcement, McDonald's stock fell 8.3 percent. The new fry didn't stack up. As it turns out, the beef tallow had added more than just cholesterol to the signature french fry.
Eating those tasty McDonald's fries even releases dopamine in your brain, the neurotransmitter that triggers feelings of pleasure. So how does McDonald's do it? In addition to frying and seasoning the fries, McDonald's coats them in dextrose, a form a sugar.
So yes, officially each McDonald's restaurant is supposed to check and filter the oil every day. Filtering is when you use some mesh to clear out the debris to keep oil usable for longer, until it can't just be filtered anymore and needs to actually be changed out.
After this sustained campaign, including by the National Heart Savers Association against saturated fats and the beef tallow they were using, in 1990, they switched to vegetable oil with beef flavouring.
We stopped using tallow primarily due to health concerns in the late 20th century, specifically its high saturated fat content linked to heart disease, leading to a shift towards vegetable oils in commercial cooking, though some trends now re-evaluate its place in diets. A major catalyst was a public health campaign by Philip Sokolof in the 1980s, who used newspaper ads to highlight saturated fats in foods like McDonald's fries, causing companies to switch oils to avoid backlash and lawsuits, notes Yahoo and Reddit r/todayilearned.
The oil blend that McDonald's uses for its famous fries is peanut-free and the chain makes an effort to keep peanuts off of major menu items. The exception? Some McFlurry flavors.
In Australia, McDonald's fries are made with potatoes, canola oil, dextrose, (may contain) sodium metabisulphate and antioxidant 306 – also known as Vitamin E.
The McDonald's Big Mac is a 100% beef burger with a taste like no other. The mouthwatering perfection starts with two 100% pure all beef patties and Big Mac Sauce sandwiched between a sesame seed bun. It's topped off with pickles, crisp shredded lettuce, finely chopped onion and a slice of American cheese.
Smashburger
Smashburger uses a blend of beef tallow and canola oil in its fryers. That means the fries and tots here will have that extra beefy kick. It's a great complementary side to the Smashburger burger, which is juicy and cheesy.
Five Guys has by far the least healthy fries in our study, while KFC is the fifth least healthy, with significantly fewer calories and lower saturated fat than Five Guys fries. French Fries have high salt and fat levels, which can tip an already unhealthy fast-food main into the danger zone.
Replacing ingredients to reduce production costs and increase shelf life. Natural preservatives have been completely replaced with stuff like calcium carbonate for example. If you eat the same fast food in another country, it tastes far fresher and far better quality than in America.
The unhealthiest item at McDonald's is often cited as the Big Breakfast with Hotcakes, packing over 1,300 calories, nearly a full day's sodium, and significant saturated fat, making it a calorie and nutrient bomb, with other contenders including large shakes, certain Angus burgers, and large fries.
Silly Putty Silicone (Dimethylpolysiloxane)
It is the secret ingredient that keeps fryer oil from foaming. McDonald's Filet-O-Fish and French fries have it, as do Wendy's Natural-Cut Fries With Sea Salt. In fact, most fast-food items that bathe in a deep-fat fryer are imbued with a hint of dimethylpolysiloxane.