In-N-Out Is Changing These Menu Items

IRVINE, CA — In-N-Out is making some changes to its menu, removing certain dyes, flavorings and sweeteners, according to the company.

“Over the past decade, In-N-Out Burger has made meaningful changes to our ingredients, always keeping our Customers in mind,” Owner and President Lynsi Snyder said in a prepared statement announcing the adjustments that was provided to Patch on Thursday.

“… While we take pride in these improvements, our focus remains the same: staying true to our founders' promise over 75 years ago.”

The changes listed in the statement include:

• Replacing Yellow 5 with turmeric in pickles, chilies and spread;
• Replacing Red 40 with beta carotene and vegetable juice in strawberry shakes and pink lemonade;
• Replacing artificial vanilla with natural vanilla in shake mix;
• Replacing artificial flavors with natural flavors in chocolate syrup and hot cocoa;
• Replacing high fructose corn syrup with natural sugar in shake mix, strawberry syrup, spread and pink lemonade;
• Replacing calcium propionate with natural enzymes in buns and removing cottonseed oil.

The Irvine-based burger chain is also in the process of transitioning to ketchup made with real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup and researching better-quality oil for fries. Additionally, it has replaced sucralose and saccharin with stevia leaf extract and introduced an oat milk creamer.

The statement comes shortly after U.S. health officials said last month they would urge foodmakers to phase out petroleum-based artificial colors in the nation's food supply.

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency would take steps to eliminate the synthetic dyes by the end of 2026, largely by relying on voluntary efforts from the food industry.

Industry groups contend that the chemicals are safe and suggested they would try to negotiate with regulators to keep them available.

Health advocates have long called for the removal of artificial dyes from foods, citing mixed studies indicating they can cause neurobehavioral problems, including hyperactivity and attention issues, in some children. The FDA has maintained that the approved dyes are safe and that "the totality of scientific evidence shows that most children have no adverse effects when consuming foods containing color additives.”

The FDA currently allows 36 food color additives, including eight synthetic dyes. In January, the agency announced that the dye known as Red 3 — used in candies, cakes and some medications — would be banned in food by 2027 because it caused cancer in laboratory rats.

Several states, including California, have passed laws restricting the use of artificial colors in foods.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.