Taco Bell customers were left feeling surprised after the takeout revealed how much beef was actually in its recipe.
Taco Bell claims that their seasoned beef is made using 100% USDA premium beef, however, it actually isn’t 100%.
According to the website, after simmering, the beef is drained of excess fat and pre-seasoned with a signature blend of seven authentic seasonings and spices. It is then packaged with added water to lock in the flavor and for added moisture, and then shipped to restaurants.
So it turns out that the non-beef elements of Taco Bell beef are mostly seasonings and binders, making it relatively standard.
We’re unsure why this is the case, but Taco Bell still maintains one of the lowest prices of any fast food chain.
In 2014, Taco Bell reassured consumers that all of their additives were FDA-approved. It even went through them to describe the purpose of each one. One example is maltodextrin, which is just a form of sugar.
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“I would hope it wasn’t 100% beef because I’m not sure I’d be okay with the kind of process that would make cow meat taste seasoned like that,” one commenter revealed.
“You’re right, I’m absolutely shocked, 88% is more beef than I thought would be in it,” another wrote in.
This isn’t the first surprise, however. In June it turned out that McDonald’s burgers weren’t doing as well as some other items.
“Some of this protein consumption change is something that we really will have to watch. We’ve seen that shift. We didn’t have a chicken sandwich when we launched our brand in 1955. We sell more chicken today as a brand than we sell beef,” the fast food giants said.
“People change what they eat very slowly over time. So yes, we are seeing those slow changes over time. I think some of it’s driven by affordability… we know that chicken is less expensive to produce, and so for a consumer that’s looking for more affordable food, chicken is a great option right now.”