You may want to think twice before ordering chicken from a fast food restaurant.
Some popular establishments are beefing up their chicken products with ingredients like seaweed and even wood, according to a new investigation from The Daily Mail.
The oven-roasted chicken from Subway contains flavorings and “2% or less” of potato starch and carrageenan — the latter being a natural ingredient that comes from red seaweed.
It is safe for human consumption and commonly used to thicken foods.
Subway came under fire years ago for its chicken after a Canadian report claimed it contained only “about half chicken DNA,” Eater reported.
Subway sued the outlet that aired the report for “false and misleading” claims, but a judge later tossed the $210 million complaint. The fast food chain still maintains its oven roasted chicken and chicken strips “are made from 100 percent all white meat chicken.”
At Carl’s Jr., the bun for the spicy chicken sandwich reportedly contains less than 2% of microcrystalline cellulose, a texturizer known as “refined wood pulp,” according to Fooducate, an app that shares food labels.
Wendy’s, another popular fast food chain, admits the classic chicken breaded fillet in its classic chicken sandwich is only 56% chicken breast.
The patty also consists of water, palm oil, fully refined soybean oil, dehydrated chicken powder, yeast extract, a blend of spices and other ingredients.
Fan-favorite items like chicken nuggets boast an assortment of ingredients as well.
McDonald’s says its Chicken McNuggets are made of white boneless chicken, acid, yeast extract, lemon juice solids, dextrose, and different kinds of flour.
A photo of “pink goop” that circulated online in 2014 was linked to McDonald’s McNuggets, but the company dismissed the picture — purported to be of mechanically separated chicken — as a hoax.
“A photo circulating online does not show how we make Chicken McNuggets or, frankly, any item on our menu,” the statement read.
“Our Chicken McNuggets are made using USDA inspected boneless white breast meat chicken. We do not use the process known as mechanically separated chicken, nor do our Chicken McNuggets ever at any point, look like this photo.”
Burger King, meanwhile, lists autolyzed yeast extract in its chicken nuggets, along with flavor enhancers like disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, which is sometimes used in conjunction with MSG, according to The Daily Meal.
Domino’s chicken products also contain a bevy of ingredients.
Its grilled chicken includes lipolyzed butter oil, modified corn starch and modified food starch. Modified food starch is an additive typically used to thicken or stabilize products, according to Gluten Free Society.
The Post reached out to the fast food giants for comment.
This isn’t the first time concerns have been raised about the nutrition of and ingredients in fast food items.
Food scientist Bryan Quoc Le, who penned the book “150 Food Science Questions Answered: Cook Smarter, Cook Better,” recently revealed animal hair is a common additive in fast food products.
He also claims there are traces of wood in foods like ice cream and peach rings.
And in March, a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found 60% of foods purchased by Americans contain food additives such as coloring or flavoring agents, preservatives, and sweeteners.