Is the Bacon at McDonald’s Actually Made of Pork? Let’s Investigate

As a busy parent trying to feed my family on a budget, we do occasionally grab some quick meals at McDonald’s. When getting breakfast sandwiches or burgers with bacon, I started wondering – is the bacon at McDonald’s really made of pork or is it some kind of processed meat?

As someone who pays close attention to food ingredients for health, religious and ethical reasons I wanted to find out what McDonald’s bacon is actually made from. The source of ingredients matters. So let’s inspect the origins of Mickey D’s famous bacon!

What Exactly is in McDonald’s Bacon?

First let’s look at how McDonald’s themselves describe their bacon ingredient

• McDonald’s states their bacon is made from “smoke flavor added” pork.

• They say it contains no artificial preservatives, colors or flavors

• The bacon is cured using water, salt, smoke flavoring, sugar, sodium phosphate, and sodium erythorbate.

• Pork used in US McNuggets and beef in US burgers are both certified sustainable. Unclear if this includes bacon pork.

So according to McDonald’s own website, their bacon is made from real cured pork that’s been smoked to add flavor. No meat fillers or artificial ingredients are listed. But I wanted to dig deeper to verify the pork origins.

Does McDonald’s Bacon Contain Any Non-Pork Fillers?

When you think of bacon, you picture thin slices of cured and smoked pork belly meat. But some fast food bacon products actually mix in other non-pork fillers and meat extenders.

Upon closer inspection, McDonald’s bacon seems to avoid this practice. Their listed ingredients include only pork, basic curing agents, water, salt, smoke flavoring and sugar.

I could not find any evidence of non-pork fillers like soy, wheat, turkey, mechanically separated meats or other extraneous ingredients. McDonald’s bacon sticks to traditional pork belly.

The raw pork itself may be processed with some meat manipulation to shape uniform bacon slices. But no non-bacon components appear added. This aligns with their claim of “smoke flavor added” pork.

Are Nitrates & Nitrites Used to Cure McDonald’s Bacon?

Most mass market bacon uses nitrates or nitrites to preserve color and extend shelf life during curing. But these chemical preservatives may be linked to cancer risks when overconsumed.

Curing agents listed for McDonald’s bacon – sodium phosphate and sodium erythorbate – control pH and convert nitrates into nitrites during processing.

So while not directly added, the curing process does seem to involve nitrates converting to nitrites through phosphate addition. McDonald’s bacon is likely cured using nitrates/nitrites in a more “natural” way, but these preservatives are still present from the curing process. Self-proclaimed “nitrate-free” labeling can be misleading.

For stricter avoidance of nitrates/nitrites, certified organic or uncured specialty bacon would be a better choice. But McDonald’s still sticks to real pork without artificial preservative additions.

Does McDonald’s Do Its Own Bacon Processing & Production?

With a fast food chain as huge as McDonald’s, it would be impossible for them to raise pigs and process all their own pork products internally.

The pork used for McDonald’s bacon is sourced from major meat processing companies. Two of their largest bacon suppliers are Smithfield Foods and JBS USA Holdings Inc.

While not producing their own pork, McDonald’s does impose standards for humane treatment, antibiotic use and sustainability on suppliers like Smithfield and JBS. Third-party audits help enforce these standards in their supply chain.

So McDonald’s relies on large pork producers for bacon rather than their own farming and processing. But they aim to work with suppliers that uphold decent standards for humane practices and food safety.

Can Vegetarians Eat McDonald’s Bacon?

For vegetarians avoiding meat for religious, health or ethical reasons, McDonald’s bacon would not be considered vegetarian-friendly.

Their bacon contains real cured pork belly meat, not imitation meat substitutes. No veggie bacon option is offered. And their fryers for hash browns may be shared with meat items, presenting cross-contamination concerns.

Someone who eats a flexitarian diet with occasional meat could potentially work bacon into their diet on occasion. But for stricter vegetarians and vegans, McDonald’s bacon would be off-limits due to its pork origins.

The Verdict on McDonald’s Bacon Ingredients

After inspecting the details, here is my conclusion on the composition of McDonald’s bacon:

• It is made from real cured and smoked pork belly according to their own declarations. No non-pork fillers identified.

• Nitrates/nitrites seem present from natural conversion during curing, but not directly added. Still healthier than artificial versions.

• Pork is sourced from major suppliers like Smithfield and JBS, not in-house processing.

• Vegetarians cannot eat it, but flexitarians could indulge on occasion.

• While not the highest quality artisan bacon, it adheres to real pork ingredients without too many additives.

So while some shortcuts are taken for affordability, the bacon at McDonald’s does appear to contain real cured and smoked pork without too many concerning additives or non-pork fillers. In my opinion, it’s decent quality bacon for an affordable fast food chain.