What is the filler in McDonald's meat?
Matthew Cannon
Updated on January 13, 2026
Every one of our McDonald's burgers is made with 100% pure beef and cooked and prepared with salt, pepper and nothing else—no fillers, no additives, no preservatives. We use the trimmings of cuts like the chuck, round and sirloin for our burgers, which are ground and formed into our hamburger patties.
What does McDonald's add to their beef?
Asked generally about the quality of its meat, McDonald's USA says "Our burgers are made only with 100% USDA inspected beef. There are no preservatives or fillers in our patties and the only thing ever added is a touch of salt and pepper on the grill.Does McDonald's have fake meat?
McDonald's is expanding its test of the plant-based McPlant burger created with Beyond Meat. Starting Feb. 14, the fast-food giant will roll out the burger at roughly 600 locations in the San Francisco Bay and Dallas-Fort Worth areas.Does McDonald's put sawdust in their burgers?
But if you eat at some of the nation's top fast-food restaurants, you could be eating wood pulp. Burger King, McDonald's, Taco Bell, Carl's Jr. and Wendy's all have items on their menus that contain this ingredient. Instead of seeing wood pulp listed in the nutrition information, you'll see cellulose.What foods have sawdust in them?
Here's just a sampling of places it popped up.
- Tomato sauce.
- Salad dressing.
- Ice cream bars.
- Whole wheat bread.
- Granola bars.
- Packaged cookies.
- Bagels.
- Frozen breakfast sandwiches.