The addition of different food additives in McDonald’s french fries makes it unsafe to consume?

McDonald’s french fries are one of the most recognizable fast-food items in the world. It is known for its crisp texture and salty taste. However, behind this taste there is a unique recipe and not just potatoes, oil and salt. 

Against this background, social media users have raised their concerns whether it is safe to consume McDonald’s french fries with additives as ingredients. The claim suggests that some of the ingredients are dextrose, TBHQ, and Polydimethylsiloxane. 

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Fact Check- 

First, we checked the list of ingredients McDonald’s uses in its french fries. We found that 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 are listed as starting ingredients in the US. As per other reports McDonald’s fries also contain TBHQ, citric acid, and dimethylpolysiloxane.

Let’s check the safety of the ingredients mentioned in the post.

Dextrose: ‌Dextrose is a type of sugar that usually comes from corn or wheat. It can be quickly used as a source of energy by the human body. It is often used in foods as an artificial sweetener or a preservative. It is generally found in sauces, chips, canned foods, pickles, jams etc. As Dextrose has a high glycemic index, it can increase blood sugar quickly and lead to diabetes. Weight gain, heart disease etc. 

However, the FDA considers Dextrose as safe when it is used within the set limits. The FDA had allowed the use of dextrose not only as a sweetener but also as an anticaking agent, flavor enhancer, coloring adjunct etc. 

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had also approved the use of dextrose in many consumable products like dairy whitener, ice cream, kulfi, foods for infants, synthetic syrup etc. 

TBHQ: The EFSA Panel reviewed the safety of TBHQ (E 319), a food additive allowed in the EU with a safe daily intake limit of 0.7 mg per kilogram of body weight. While past assessments found that adult exposure stayed within this limit, there was concern that infants consuming infant formula with TBHQ might exceed the limit. To refine the assessment, EFSA analyzed new data on how much TBHQ is used in foods and how much people actually consume. The results showed that, at maximum allowed levels, toddlers and children could exceed the safe limit. However, in more realistic scenarios, the safe limit was not exceeded for any group.

FDA approved TBHQ as a food additive and set specific conditions for its safe use. As per FDA, TBHQ must have a melting point of at least 126.5°C and be at least 99% pure. It should be used as an antioxidant, either alone or with BHA and BHT, to prevent oxidation in foods and the total amount of antioxidants, including TBHQ, in a food must not exceed 0.02% of the fat or oil content in the food.

According to the National Institute of Health, TBHQ is a synthetic antioxidant and antimicrobial used in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries in approved amounts. It does not significantly accumulate in the body but can cause health issues, such as nutritional disorders, chronic diseases, and cancer, when consumed in high doses or over a long time. TBHQ can trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular damage. Therefore, it is recommended to strictly follow the usage limits in food. There are reports on therapeutic benefits of TBHQ under certain conditions but there is no clear data on how much TBHQ people can consume from all food sources. To minimize risks, it is recommended to use only approved amounts of TBHQ in food products.

Polydimethylsiloxane: The European Food Safety Authority’s Panel reviewed the safety of dimethyl polysiloxane (E 900). Earlier, in 1990, experts had set a safe daily intake limit of 1.5 mg per kilogram of body weight. In the new evaluation it was found that it is barely absorbed by the body. Some effects on the eyes of the rats were seen during the animal study but those were due to direct contact and not because of absorption. No harmful or genetic effects were found in any animal studies. Based on new research, the panel identified a safe level of 1,742 mg/kg per day and set a new Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 17 mg/kg per day of the ingredient. The panel concluded that E 900 is safe for use at current levels in food.

The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) evaluated polydimethylsiloxane. In 1979, JECFA set a safe intake level at 0 to 1.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. Later, in 2008, this limit was lowered to 0.8 mg/kg per day. After reviewing new data in 2011, JECFA restored the original Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) to 1.5 mg/kg per day and declared the ingredient safe for use in foods. 

Conclusion: 

Fact Crescendo found that the claim was shared without proper context. Dextrose, TBHQ, and Polydimethylsiloxane used in McDonald’s french fries are safe and have been approved to be used in foods. There are no serious health concerns when these ingredients are used within set limits.