Corn: It’s what you’re actually having for dinner


November 11, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Whether you’re eating burgers, chicken or fries at the nation’s top fast-food eateries, corn is what’s for dinner.

The vast majority of the cows and chickens served at McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s were raised on corn, and sizzling corn oil cooked many of the fries, according to a new study in today’s issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Hope Jahren of the University of Hawaii said her researchers tested food at three restaurants from each of the chains in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Detroit, Boston and Baltimore.

The foods were then tested for stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen that allow researchers to trace the type of fat used or the source of nutrition for the animals. Results: Most had corn-based diets.

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