Reported by Nigel Boys
Ealier this year Burger King Worldwide Inc. (BKW), was involved in a horse meat scandal where the burger giant admitted that some of their meat may have been mixed with horse meat.
Now, in an attempt to lose it’s junk-food image, french fries with reduced-fat and reduced calories have been added to the menu of world’s second-largest hamburger chain.
In a statement from BKW, a “value-size” serving of the new crinkle-cut “Satisfries” will contain 190 calories, 8 grams of fat and 210 milligrams of sodium, as opposed to their classic fries with 340 calories and 15 grams of fat.
North American president for Burger King, Alex Macdo, said that 50% of their customers order their classic French fries. He added that the company knew that their customers wanted more options made available for them to order.
Recently, health groups have been targeting fast food chains for their contribution to the rapidly expanding obesity problem in the U.S.
According to a report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) released in May, about 66 percent of adults in America are overweight and 33 percent are obese. The report added that higher medical costs and the risk of disease, such as diabetes and heart disease, is increased by the rising number of obese people in the U.S.
However, Burger King is not the only fast food chain to try and get rid of their junk food image.
Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc. (DNKN) has introduced a DD smart menu and McDonald’s are offering a menu with under 400-calories. Also KFC is offering grilled chicken, applesauce and green beans on their kid’s menus.
Apparently, during the cooking process, less oil is absorbed with their new Satisfries than with the classic French fries, according to Burger King.
The new Satisfries have the same ingredients as their conventional fries, same potatoes and oil and are cooked with the same process. However, a few new ingredients in their batter, means that less oil is absorbed during the cooking process, although Burger King won’t say what those ingredients are.
Keri Gans, a registered dietitian hired by Burger King, said that “It’s not realistic to ask people to replace French fries with carrots or celery sticks.” He added “This is like meeting people halfway.”