McDonald’s fries, maple syrup, and Haribo candies all made headlines in recent weeks as fans learned what was really in them.
Vegans were less than amused that McDonald’s famous fries are actually made with beef oil, and maple syrup aficionados were shocked to learn that Great Value’s brand contained traces of fish.
Meanwhile, Haribo fans were shocked to learn that the company’s green-colored gummy bears are actually strawberry-flavored. But it turns out that this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to bizarre ingredients in some of America’s best-loved dishes.
DailyMail.com reveals four more foods with shocking ingredients hidden in them:
Fish-flavored marshmallows, anyone?
The ingredient list on Wal-Mart’s marshmallows carries a strange warning: “May contain traces of tilapia.”
The mild fish is considered a “biotech food ingredient” on labels for both Great Value, the store’s house brand, regular and mini marshmallows.
A user on TikTok named Paths Ferguson found the warning on a bag of marshmallows and quickly took to social media
“I know we don’t expect much from Wal-Mart, but why are there fish in my marshmallows?” said Mr. Ferguson in his video.
Users speculated that tilapia could be used in the gelatin that holds the marshmallows together, though the answer is unclear.
The mini and regular varieties of marshmallows at Wal-Mart say in the ingredients that they may contain traces of tilapia, a mild white fish
Wendy’s Chili goes against the grain…
One of the main ingredients in the chili at Wendy’s is silicon dioxide.
Silicon dioxide is a natural compound made from silicon and oxygen. It is also called sand.
It occurs naturally in several plants, including beets and brown rice, and is used as an anti-caking agent to prevent clumping.
The Food and Drug Administration has considered silicon dioxide a safe food additive. In addition, recently research found no evidence linking silicon dioxide to an increased risk of diseases such as cancer.
Silicon dioxide can also be found in salts, soups and evaporated milk.
Silicon dioxide, also known as sand, is an additive in the chili sold at Wendy’s. However, the FDA has deemed silicon dioxide safe for food
Grated cheese
Cellulose is usually identified as sawdust. It is also an insoluble fiber found in shredded cheese to prevent it from sticking together
Usually identified as sawdust, cellulose is derived from virgin wood pulp. It is also in grated cheese.
Cellulose is added to shredded cheeses, such as Kraft Shredded Cheese, to prevent the stalls from sticking together.
Cellulose is a naturally occurring fiber found in fruits, vegetables and other plant foods. It can be found in tree bark and plant leaves.
It is an insoluble fiber, meaning it does not dissolve in water. This helps push food through the digestive system and promotes regular bowel movements.
The FDA recognizes cellulose as safe to consume.
ice cream
Your vanilla ice cream cone may contain castoreum, which is made from a mixture of beaver urine and anal secretions.
Although it is more common in perfume, it still contributes a small portion of the vanilla flavor in foods such as ice cream.
Castoreum is FDA-approved as a “natural flavoring,” which is how it is labeled on foods.
Haribo gummy bears
Despite its color, Haribo’s green gummy bear actually has strawberry flavor
This week, fans of Haribo gummy bears were surprised to discover that the green bear is actually strawberry flavored.
A resurfaced Reddit detailing the flavors of each color bear gained traction on social media when fans realized that color typically associated with lime or green apple flavor actually tastes like strawberries.
“Nobody asked, but the green Haribo gummy bear flavor is strawberry and I think that’s misleading” wrote one user on Twitter.
McDonald’s fries
Even the fries at McDonald’s are not safe for vegetarians
Even the fries at McDonald’s are not safe for vegetarians. It turns out they contain “natural beef flavor.”
‘When our suppliers partially fry our sliced potatoes, they use a beef flavored oil blend. This ensures the great tasting and recognizable taste we all love from our World Famous Fries,’ McDonald’s explained on its website.
TikTok user Jordan Howlett, who uses the username Jordan_The_Stallion8posted one video revealed the secret ingredient last week. “That’s why the fries taste so good,” he said in the video.
In 2002, the restaurant settled a lawsuit over labeling their fries as vegetarian despite being flavored with beef.
Maple syrup
Great Value’s brand of maple syrup contains trace amounts of anchovies
Mr Ferguson also discovered another anomaly in store brand maple syrup: anchovies.
In a follow up to his previous video, Mr. Ferguson went back to Wal-Mart to investigate the allegation. “Great value, you have some explaining to do,” Mr Ferguson said in the video.
The butter-flavored syrup’s label stated, “May contain traces of milk, egg, anchovies, wheat, and soy.”
“There’s no butter in the butter flavored syrup, but maybe anchovies!” said Mr. Ferguson.