McDonald's revamps menu ingredients after consumer pressure

McDonald's rid many of its products of various controversial preservatives after facing growing pressure from consumer bodies to alter food culture in the US.

The fast food chain revealed on Monday that it had adjusted the ingredients for products such as its chicken McNuggets, sausage patties, omelettes and bagels.

Other measures introduced included the swapping of high-fructose corn syrup buns for those made with sucrose, as well as meeting an antiobiotics removal guideline a year in advance.

Consumer agency demands for greater transparency and fewer artificial ingredients were until recently ignored by many of the major food corporations, but after increasing exposure presented by social media they have been forced to follow more guidelines.

Mike Andres, president of McDonald’s USA, said the changes to its supply chain had posed challenges but he was pleased with the progress.

“If you look at the food industry today, any time that you’re dealing with this many different suppliers, certainly from the farmers’ perspective, it’s going to be challenging,” he said.

Restaurant chains are looking at slow sales and strong competition between themselves and supermarkets.