Bookmark and Share May 5, 2012 - Dave Mulder

What’s in McDonald’s Big Mac Sauce?

Photo of a Big Mac

The Big Mac is the iconic American fast food hamburger. Before I swore off McDonald’s, Big Mac was my time-crunch meal of choice. Years later, my mouth waters as I fondly recall the relative perfection of that sandwich.

Big Mac’s secret is in its sauce. That delicious, addictive sauce. After discovering that McDonald’s posts its ingredient listings online, I couldn’t wait for a few of my long-running questions to be answered. How much artificial flavoring is in there? What’s its base?

Ingredients in Big Mac Sauce

Soybean oil, pickle relish [diced pickles, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, vinegar, corn syrup, salt, calcium chloride, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate (preservative), spice extractives, polysorbate 80], distilled vinegar, water, egg yolks, high fructose corn syrup, onion powder, mustard seed, salt, spices, propylene glycol alginate, sodium benzoate (preservative), mustard bran, sugar, garlic powder, vegetable protein (hydrolyzed corn, soy and wheat), caramel color, extractives of paprika, soy lecithin, turmeric (color), calcium disodium EDTA (protect flavor).

A few takeaways …

  • The base is soybean oil, very close to a mayonnaise.
  • No artificial colors are used, which is surprising given the pickle relish.
  • No artificial flavorings!!
  • The only unnatural ingredients are the preservatives and the high fructose corn syrup.
Photo credit: bee-side(s) on Flickr.

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