McDonald’s Corporation has reportedly started using olive oil in some of its recipes, in a bid to improve its nutritional reputation.

The changes, to its grilled chicken product, are reported to have been made in response to consumer demand for ‘simpler recipes’, with more natural ingredients and fewer artificial ones.

The new ‘artisan grilled chicken’ sandwich product in the US is said to be made of ‘100% real chicken breast, cooked in a blend of olive oil and canola oil. Previously the recipe used liquid margarine, which included ingredients such as hydrogenated cottonseed, soybean oils, water, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, salt, soy lecithin, mono and diglycerides, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), artificial flavour, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate and beta carotene.

The new recipe for grilled chicken contains 12 ingredients instead of 18 and has no artificial flavors or added colors or preservatives. In addition, the company has now removed sodium phosphates, which were used to keep the chicken moist. Instead the recipe now contains vegetable starch for this purpose.

McDonald’s said the recipe was amended in response to consumer demands for simple ingredients. It also follows rival Subway’s recent introduction of a new grilled chicken sandwich recipes.
Sales at McDonald’s’ restaurants in the US have been in decline for the past two years, as American consumers turn away from fast food to healthier options (Referência: http://www.nutritioninsight.com).