Which of the 70 Ingredients in a McRib are the Most Concerning?

It’s ‘McRib season,’ and thousands across the nation are scrambling for the fast food delicacy. But what is even in a McRib? How is a McRib made? And are the ingredients in the fast food product healthy?

The McRib is the result of intensive marketing by McDonald’s. The fast food chain utilizes the basics of supply and demand through unnatural scarcity. Only unleashing the culinary abomination creation for a fraction of the year is great marketing.

It’s even a topic of the once-popular documentary Super Size Me, where filmmaker Morgan Spurlock (who gorged himself with McDonald’s for 30 days only to find serious health consequences) encounters ‘McRib hunters’ who actually travel the country eating McRib sandwiches.

Maybe you’re one of them?

Related: 3 Fast Food Secret Ingredients

What’s Inside a McDonald’s McRib Sandwich?

But what’s really inside the McRib specifically that makes it such a sought-after food product? I mean, if it isn’t just the marketing.

Containing over 70 ingredients, the McRib is full of surprises – including ‘restructured meat’ technology that includes traditionally discarded animal parts brought together to create a rib-like substance.

‘Restructured Meat’ from Pig Heart, Tongue, Stomach

McDonald’s McRib is famous in some circles for utilizing what’s known as ‘restructured meat’ technology. Since McDonald’s knows you’d never eat a pig heart, tongue, or stomach on your plate, they decided instead to grind up these ingredients and put them into the form of a typical rib. That way, consumers won’t know what they’re putting into their mouths.

As the Washington Post reported, the innovator of this technology back in 1995 said it best:

“Most people would be extremely unhappy if they were served heart or tongue on a plate… but flaked into a restructured product it loses its identity. Such products as tripe, heart, and scalded stomachs…”

So in other words, it’s not actually a rib. Instead, it’s a combination of unwanted animal scraps processed down in major facilities and ‘restructured’ into the form of a rib. Then, 70 additives, chemicals, fillers, and GMO ingredients later, you have a ‘meat’ product that tastes like ribs.

Other Questionable Ingredients in the McRib

Here are some of the other ingredients in the McDonald’s McRib sandwich that are cause for concern for some:

1. BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisole):
   • Concern: BHA is actually an antioxidant used to prevent rancidity in foods that contain oils. The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that BHA is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.”
2. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS):
   • Concern: HFCS has been linked to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Some studies suggest that HFCS can lead to increased fat accumulation in the liver, leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. If nothing else, we simply consume too much sugar and need to cut back.
3. Partially Hydrogenated Oils:
   • Concern: These oils contain trans fats, which have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease. The FDA has determined that partially hydrogenated oils are not “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) for use in human food.
4. Azodicarbonamide (ACA):
   • The primary concern with azodicarbonamide is its potential breakdown products: semicarbazide (SEM) and ethyl carbamate, which have raised health concerns in animal studies.
     
     According to an article from The Guardian, azodicarbonamide has been linked to cancer in lab animals when baked. Other countries, including China, Brazil, and members of the European Union, have weighed the potential risks and decided to outlaw potassium bromate in food. The UK has forbidden it since 1990.
5. Sodium Benzoate:
   • Concern: When combined with ascorbic acid (vitamin C), it can form benzene, a compound that may be a carcinogen. While the levels in foods are generally considered to be very low, it’s still a point of concern for some.
6. Caramel Color:
   • Concern: Some types of caramel color contain a compound called 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI), which has been identified as a potential carcinogen. The FDA is currently reviewing its safety.
7. Polysorbate 80:
   • Concern: Some studies have suggested that polysorbate 80 can cause inflammation in the gut, potentially leading to IBS or exacerbating the symptoms of Crohn’s disease. However, more research is needed.

Now the mere presence of these ingredients in food doesn’t necessarily mean they’re harmful in the amounts typically consumed. But it’s one of those things where – you don’t really know. While the FDA may claim safety, some people choose to avoid them due to potential health concerns or personal preferences.

For a visual representation with a full list, here’s an image summarizing what it calls the ‘McDiabetes McRib’ — complete with GMO indicators (click to enlarge):