What is the Natural Beef Flavor in McDonald’s Fries?

McDonald’s french fries are an iconic fast food menu item, known for their delicious taste and crispy texture. But what exactly gives McDonald’s fries their signature beefy, umami flavor? The answer lies in an ingredient called “natural beef flavor”.

A Brief History of McDonald’s Fries

Up until 1990, McDonald’s cooked their fries in a mixture of cottonseed oil and beef tallow. This gave the fries great flavor, but was high in saturated fat. In response to health concerns, McDonald’s switched to frying the fries entirely in vegetable oil.

While this removed the cholesterol-laden beef tallow, it also took away the flavor. To restore the beefy taste without the actual beef, McDonald’s began adding “natural beef flavor” to the fries. This allowed them to keep the flavors people loved, while touting the fries as cooked in 100% vegetable oil.

What is Natural Beef Flavor?

Despite the name, “natural beef flavor” doesn’t actually come from beef. The term “natural flavor” just signifies that the flavoring starts with organic source material, instead of being entirely synthetic

As food scientist Gary Reineccius explains, the beefy flavor itself is created in a lab Scientists identify the amino acids and sugars found in cooked beef, then combine them with other ingredients like starch and citric acid under controlled conditions to replicate that flavor

So while the starting blocks come from organic compounds, the actual beef flavoring is produced through food science. This allows McDonald’s to provide the expected taste cheaply and safely, without needing huge amounts of real beef.

The Controversy Around McDonald’s Natural Beef Flavor

When McDonald’s rolled out the switch to natural beef flavor in the 1990s, they did not clearly communicate that the fries were no longer strictly vegetarian.

Many vegetarians and religious groups who avoid beef for ethical and health reasons believed the fries no longer contained any animal products. But when the beef flavoring came to light, they felt misled.

A highly publicized lawsuit filed against McDonald’s in 2001 claimed the natural beef flavor was falsely advertised as vegetarian. McDonald’s argued the flavoring was so minimal it didn’t need to be disclosed. They settled the case by clarifying on their website that the fries contain beef flavoring and are not actually vegetarian.

Other Places Natural Beef Flavor is Found

The natural beef flavor McDonald’s uses is very common in processed foods. Since it provides meaty, savory taste without using large amounts of real beef, it allows companies to add flavor cheaply.

Some other places you may see natural beef flavor include

• Instant ramen and other packaged noodles
• Snack foods like chips and crunchy snacks
• Gravies, soups, and savory sauces
• Frozen meals and TV dinners
• Fast food menu items like hash browns and breakfast sandwiches

What’s Actually in Natural Beef Flavor?

Since “natural flavors” don’t have to be detailed on labels, it can be hard to know exactly what goes into natural beef flavor, besides the amino acids and sugars. McDonald’s states their natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk products.

In general, natural beef flavor may contain ingredients like:

• Milk or wheat derivatives
• Yeast or yeast extracts
• Vegetable oils
• Herbs, spices, and vegetable flavor extracts
• Acids like citric acid or lactic acid
• Preservatives and antioxidants

So while the flavoring gives the taste of beef, it likely contains no actual meat products. However, the potential presence of milk and wheat means it is not vegan or vegetarian.

Is Natural Beef Flavor Bad for You?

There are no specific health concerns around natural beef flavoring itself. The ingredients that create these flavors are considered safe by the FDA.

The bigger issue is that adding beef flavor can cause people to consume more fries and snack foods than they might otherwise. People tend to eat more when foods have stronger taste. So while natural beef flavor isn’t directly harmful, overconsumption of fast food is linked to health issues.

The Bottom Line

McDonald’s natural beef flavor has allowed generations to enjoy the chain’s signature fry taste without the downsides of beef tallow. However, the vague labeling left some customers feeling misled.

If you want to avoid animal products, be sure to watch for natural flavors in processed foods. Or stick to whole, unprocessed ingredients you can clearly identify. While natural beef flavor satisfies fast food cravings, fries from whole potatoes, oil and spices are a healthier choice.