USA, October 14, 2022 (sentientmedia.org): HPI Note: This question about McDonald’s fries comes up every decade or so, and the answer is always the same: No, they are not vegan and may or may not be vegetarian. Here’s the latest round:
The most popular item at McDonald’s isn’t a burger. The fast food stalwart may have served over 300 billion beef patties, but their burger sales have been dwarfed by a swift business in deep-fried shoestring potatoes. In fact, McDonald’s sells over 9 million pounds of french fries each day. Traditionally made from a simple recipe of potatoes, oil and salt, french fries are what vegans and vegetarians tend to seek out when there appear to be no other options on the menu. But fast food fried potatoes aren’t always plant-based. Many chains use additives, flavorings and other ingredients that make this vegan classic uncharacteristically non-vegan. Here’s a rundown of which fast food fries are vegan, and which are not.
Are McDonald’s Fries Vegan? Unfortunately, McDonald’s french fries are not vegan. Many people assume the beef flavoring in french fries is the key component that takes them off the menu for vegans. While this is true, there is another culprit: milk. The “natural beef flavor” is actually derived from dairy products, making this product unsuitable for vegan customers. This is also true of McDonald’s other potato products, like hash browns. It’s possible that the chain’s french fries are non-vegetarian as well. Companies are not required to disclose the ingredients of their natural or artificial flavorings (with the exception of common allergens like peanuts or milk). Since McDonald’s has not voluntarily revealed the chemical ingredients of their “natural beef flavoring,” other than wheat and milk derivatives, it’s unclear if the fries are vegetarian either.
McDonald’s has a long history of obscuring ingredients that aren’t vegetarian or vegan. In 2002, they paid millions of dollars to Hindu groups to settle a lawsuit based on advertisements that falsely stated their french fries contained no beef additives.
More on the fries issue, including where to find actual vegan ones:
https://sentientmedia.org/are-mcdonalds-fries-vegan/