Are there ‘real’ whole eggs on your fast-food breakfast sandwich?

When ordering an egg sandwich in a drive-thru, you can expect a real egg inside, however, a look at the ingredients of popular breakfast items fast food chains indicates that some restaurants are selling items that may not contain what customers consider to be “100% real eggs.”

US Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) states that food manufacturers often use pasteurized egg products because they are convenient and easy to handle and store.

According to FSIS, egg products must also be edible without further preparation to ensure food safety.This makes eggs processed in sanitary facilities, which are inspected by the Department of Agriculture, more attractive to fast food chains, restaurants and care facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes.

Chickens on a commercial farm. (iStock / iStock)

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Here are five fast food chains that have whole egg items on their menu and five chains that don’t.

DO: McDonald’s

McDonald’s breakfast items are made with real eggs.

McDonald’s breakfast menu The items are all made with real whole eggs, but each is prepared differently.

The chain’s signature round egg, found on the Egg McMuffin, is made using a USDA Grade A egg that has been cracked into an “egg ring.”

However, poached and scrambled eggs, like those on the Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuits, are made from runny eggs that are pre-cooked and scrambled before being frozen by suppliers, according to McDonald’s.

McDonald’s Sausage Burrito Eggs are pre-cooked runny eggs that include sausage, tomatoes, green chilies, onions, and seasonings before being refrigerated to help preserve their flavor. the company.

NO. Starbucks

The Starbucks logo is displayed on a cup and bag at a Starbucks store in San Francisco. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/Getty Images)

Starbucks labels its breakfast sandwich as containing a “whole egg,” but the long list of toppings that follow differentiates the product from what’s in the grocery store or household refrigerator.

Some additives listed include: water, soybean oilmodified food starch, whey solids, and citric acid, according to Nutrition Facts.

Other items on the breakfast menu, such as egg bites, list egg whites alongside other toppings.

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DO: Taco Bell

Sign Taco Bell fast food brand on May 18, 2022 in London, United Kingdom. Taco Bell is an American fast food restaurant chain founded in 1962 by Glenn Bell. (Mike Kemp/Images via Getty Images/Getty Images)

After making a commitment to sourcing real, whole eggs, Taco Bell was able to move 100% whole cage-free eggs to all US Taco Bell restaurants.

“We are proud that our eggs come from hens raised in an open environment where they can feel comfortable and exhibit their natural behavior,” the company said in a statement on its website.

Taco Bell expanded its commitment by also serving 100% cage-free egg ingredients across its entire menu at all restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, including limited-time offerings such as specialty sauces, according to the company.

CHIK: Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A is introducing the new Egg White Grill breakfast sandwich nationwide on July 18. (Chick-fil-A / Fox News)

Chick-fil-A openly admits it doesn’t yet serve 100% cage-free eggs, but insists it’s working toward the goal.

The eggs it serves are made with whole eggs, water and other additives, according to the nutrition facts.

“We are dedicated prioritizing component transparency and responsible sourcing partnerships, which is why we have committed to sourcing only 100% cage-free eggs by 2026,” the company said in a statement on its website.

DO: Wendy’s

Wendy’s Announces Its 2020 National Breakfast Expansion Plans (Wendy’s)

Wendy’s uses only fresh-cracked, Grade A eggs on its breakfast sandwiches. his website.

Later, to the company US egg suppliers are required to undergo independent, third-party audits conducted annually by auditors certified by the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO).

“We work closely with our suppliers and industry experts as part of our responsible sourcing goal and through the Wendy’s Animal Care Standards Program to ensure continuous improvement,” says Wendy’s.

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PAACO has been an animal welfare auditing body since its establishment in 2004. Prior to its establishment, there was no standardization or accreditation of animal welfare auditing.

The organization provides high-quality training and certification for auditors, according to the website.

Some of PAACO’s supporting partners include McDonald’s, Tyson FoodsAmerican Poultry and Egg Association and Pork Producers Council.

NO. Dunkin

Customers are seen at the American multinational coffee and snack shop Dunkin’ Donuts in Spain. (Javi Lopez/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images/Getty Images)

Dunkin’ offers eggnog on a variety of breakfast items, but whether they should be classified as “real whole eggs” is in the eye of the beholder.

The pies include “real” eggs, but a variety of toppings are also mixed in.

Additional ingredients include water, modified corn starch, xanthan gum, and citric acid, according to the nutrition facts.

DO: Whataburger?

America in the 2000s – Whataburger location in Las Cruces, New Mexico, 2003. (HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images/Getty Images)

Whataburger has proven that it is.”faithful to freshness,offers North American farm-fresh tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, eggs, poultry and bacon at its locations.

Also service 100% fresh American beeffresh vegetables cut in-house daily, cheese made with milk sourced from American dairy farms, and clean-label sucrose ketchups.

All of its suppliers comply with local laws and adhere to certified humane practices, according to the company.

NO. Metro:

The fast-food chain announced it will switch from cage-free chickens to eggs by 2025. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images/Getty Images)

While Subway uses eggs in its breakfast sandwiches, they contain a number of additives, including dextrose, guava gum, propylene glycol, and glycerin.

The company is committed to switching to eggs cage free chickens in North America, but has not yet done so.

“Due to limited supply, 10% of eggs served in the U.S. and 6% in Canada are from cage-free chickens,” according to Subway. North America and Latin America to move 100 percent cage-free eggs.”

DO: Panera

Panera Bakery location in Auburn Hills, Michigan Panera is a chain of casual sit-down restaurants and cafes in the United States (iStock)

Panera offers an egg sandwich made with a fresh-cracked egg, which came out at the same time the company asked the FDA to define exactly what an “egg” really is.

The company argued in 2018 that FDA regulations did not set a definition or standard for eggs, and many chains offered egg products with more than a dozen additives.

However, it appears that not all of Panera’s breakfast products are made with fresh cracked eggs, as some still contain pasteurized eggs or liquid whole egg.

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NO. Burger King

The fast-food chain Burger King carries a number of breakfast products that contain a “pasteurized liquid egg mix,” according to the company. (iStock / iStock)

the eggs used in it Burger KingBreakfast sandwiches are a “pasteurized runny egg mixture” containing a variety of toppings.

FOX Business has noticed that the nutritional information for the breakfast sandwiches has been removed from the company’s website.

Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Dunkin’, Subway and Burger King did not immediately respond to requests for comment from FOX Business on Tuesday.