By Greg Trotter

Chicago Tribune

CHICAGO — Those seeking an au naturel burger at McDonald’s should remember these three words: Hold the pickle.

The Chicago-based fast-food chain announced Wednesday that it has removed artificial colors, flavors and preservatives from its top-selling burgers, the latest announcement in the company’s ongoing effort to improve the quality of its food. The pickles, which have artificial preservatives, are the exception. Some menu items will continue to have artificial ingredients, including the Signature Crafted sandwiches.

This latest incremental step in the Golden Arches’ food journey comes after the company announced in March that it would use fresh beef for its Quarter Pounders and Signature Crafted burgers. All other burgers, including the Big Mac, are still made with patties that are prepared in advance and then frozen. McDonald’s has also removed artificial preservatives from its McNuggets and plans to use only cage-free eggs by 2025.

These are the kind of changes that today’s consumers are seeking throughout the food industry, said Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s USA president, on a call with reporters Wednesday morning.

“We believe it’s improving customer perception of McDonald’s,” Kempczinski said.

Because of its massive size and scale, including some 14,000 U.S. restaurants, McDonald’s can effect change throughout the industry when it makes makes such decisions, as it did with its cage-free egg announcement. It also can make McDonald’s a target for competitors and detractors. Wendy’s, for example, has repeatedly hammered McDonald’s for not using fresh beef in all of its burgers.

And animal welfare groups have banded together in the past year to call on McDonald’s to improve its chicken welfare policy. A 30-second TV ad paid for by the Humane Society of the United States that calls McDonald’s children’s meals “Unhappy Meals” continues to air in the Chicago market.

In order to make this latest change, McDonald’s removed artificial ingredients from its American cheese, Big Mac sauce and burger buns.

Phasing out artificial ingredients from most of McDonald’s burgers likely will not mean higher prices for consumers, though franchise owners ultimately set their own prices, Kempczinski said. Other menu items that will continue to have artificial ingredients include the Egg McMuffin, the Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit, Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddles and the Filet-O-Fish sandwich.

As for the pickle, it will remain artificially preserved until further notice.

“There are different types of pickles available, but to keep the taste our customers know and love, we made no changes to our signature dill pickle,” spokeswoman Andrea Abate said in an email.