Burger King Just Banned Over 100 Artificial Ingredients from Its Menu

The company first announced it was doing away with the fake stuff in 2020.

Burger King's menu has something for everyone, whether you prefer chicken, beef, or plant-based fare. But one thing you won't find there, at least not anymore, is artificial ingredients.

The chain just announced that it banned 120 ingredients, including high-fructose corn syrup and various food dyes, from its menu, according to a press release. It's part of an earlier decision from the company to move away from artificial dyes and preservatives, which started in 2020. The full list of banned ingredients is extensive and includes things like Red #40, Sodium Diacetate, Magnesium Glutamate, Potassium Guanylate, and Sulfur Dioxide, to name a few. 

"We know our guests' expectations are changing, and they want to make choices they can feel good about," Ellie Doty, Burger King North America's chief marketing officer, said in a release. "We're confident that our ongoing commitment to real food will not only provide guests with the food they're looking for but also set a standard for the industry overall."

Burger King released an ad campaign last year, which showed a Whopper molding over time, to point out that Burger King's food is made with real ingredients rather than being full of fake, hard-to-pronounce ingredients like other chains. However, the company had only removed preservatives from menu items in Europe and select markets in the United States. The company vows to be free from preservatives by 2020's end. 

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Caitlyn Hitt is Daria IRL. Don't take our word for it—find her on Twitter @nyltiaccc.