The menu at In-N-Out Burger has changed very little since 1948. But recently the chain has been replacing artificial ingredients with more natural alternatives.
The burger chain recently announced a number of changes to ingredients across the menu, replacing the Yellow 5 dye with turmeric in pickles, chilies and burger spreads, for example, and coloring strawberry shakes and pink lemonade with beta carotene and vegetable juice, rather than Red 40.
The shake mix now uses natural vanilla, rather than artificial. Chocolate syrup and hot cocoa now have natural flavors.
The move comes weeks after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a series of measures to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the food supply and shift to more natural alternatives, touted as part of a broader initiative to Make America Healthy Again.
The agency, for example, in April said it has initiated the process to revoke Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B within months. Another six dyes will be banned by the end of the year, including FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1 and FD&C Blue No. 2.
The previously planned removal of Red No. 3 by 2027 has also been accelerated, the agency said. New natural colors additives will be authorized in coming weeks, and the agency is working with the National Institutes of Health to study how food additives impact children’s health and development.
“For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in a statement. “These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our health and development. That era is coming to an end.”
In addition, the FDA has granted petitions to three new natural colorants the agency contends are more healthful, including Galdieria extract blue, often used in beverages like fruit drinks, smoothies, frostings and frozen desserts; and calcium phosphate, a white color approved for use in ready to eat chicken, certain candies, doughnut sugar and other products.
The agency also expanded approved use of the popular butterfly pea flower extract, known for its bright blue hue that can also create purple and green. Butterfly pea flower can already be used in certain drinks, but the agency now allows it to be used in cereals, crackers, snack mixes and other foods.
In-N-Out Burger went even further than the FDA’s guidance in cleaning up its ingredients
The Irvine, California-based chain also said high-fructose corn syrup has been replaced with natural sugar in the shake mix, strawberry syrup, spread and pink lemonade. Cottonseed oil has been removed from buns, and natural enzymes have replaced calcium propionate.
In-N-Out is also now offering Stevia Leaf Extract as a sweetener, rather than sucralose or saccharin. And oat milk creamer is available as a non-dairy alternative.
Finally, the chain is in the process of transitioning to ketchup made with rea sugar, rather than high-fructose corn syrup. And the company said it is “researching” an even better-quality oil for the chain’s fries.
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