Does KFC Use Pork Fat in Their Food? The Truth Revealed

KFC is one of the biggest chicken fast food chains in the world, and their famous fried chicken is what they do best. But there has been some talk about whether KFC uses pork fat or other ingredients that aren’t chicken in their food. We’ll look at the facts about KFC’s use of pork fat and other ingredients that come from animals in this article.

A Brief History of KFC

Colonel Harland Sanders opened the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in 1930, serving pressure fried chicken seasoned with his secret blend of 11 herbs and spices The chain expanded rapidly through franchising, and was acquired by Heublein Inc. in 1971 KFC continued to grow globally, entering new markets like China, India, and Africa. It’s now one of the most ubiquitous American fast food brands worldwide.

The Colonel’s Original Recipes

Colonel Sanders was famously protective over his secret seasoning blend. While we may never know the exact recipe he’s said to have used basic Southern-style spices and flavorings like salt pepper, garlic, paprika, thyme, oregano, basil, parsley, celery salt, mustard, and more.

Sanders made everything from scratch in his restaurants, including breaded and frying the chicken fresh on-site. For classic Southern sides like mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and biscuits, he likely used traditional recipes based on whole dairy, produce, and pantry ingredients. There’s no evidence Sanders ever used pork fat or non-chicken animal products in his original Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Modern KFC Practices

After the colonel sold his company in 1964, the flavors and preparation changed over time. KFC began altering recipes to reduce costs and speed up production in busy franchises.

Pre-portioned chickens were delivered to stores instead of butchered in-house. Instant mashed potatoes replaced homemade. Coleslaw and biscuits got packaged ingredients. The gravy changed from pan drippings to a reconstituted powdered base.

These shifts impacted taste and quality, which the colonel loudly lamented before his death in 1980. But did they also incorporate any new non-chicken ingredients?

The Question of Pork Fat

Internet forums and social media posts have periodically claimed that pork fat, beef tallow, or other animal fats are used in KFC’s cooking oil, chicken breading, or side dishes.

Let’s look at what the facts say:

• Cooking Oil – KFC fries their chicken in vegetable oil. They do not add any animal fats like lard or tallow to the fryer oil itself.

• Foods like KFC chicken have breading and batter made of wheat flour, spices, and flavorings. There is no proof that the breading recipe used pork fat or any other animal fat.

• Side Dishes – Mashed potatoes are made from a commercial powder, with milk and butter. Gravy starts as a powder base, enriched with chicken pan drippings. These contain dairy ingredients but no pork fat.

KFC also offers beef, fish, and vegetarian menu items cooked separately from the chicken. They take care to avoid cross-contamination of ingredients between different dishes.

The Bottom Line

Based on ingredient lists and preparation practices in stores, there is no sign that KFC uses pork fat or non-chicken animal fats in their core fried chicken recipes or standard side dishes.

Internet rumors of KFC adding pork fat appear completely unfounded. While recipes have evolved over time, the use of chicken and vegetable oil has remained consistent.

KFC’s Use of Chicken Fat and MSG

While pork fat and beef tallow seem definitively absent from KFC food, a few other ingredients have raised questions for some consumers:

• Chicken Fat – The gravy contains chicken fat extracted from fryer drippings, which adds signature flavor but increases the saturated fat content.

• MSG – Monosodium glutamate is added to the gravy and certain seasoning blends for its umami taste. Some people report adverse reactions to MSG.

• Soy – Hydrolyzed soy protein and other soy-derived ingredients are in the gravy thickener. These would need to be avoided by people with soy allergies.

So while pork fat in particular has no place on their shelves, KFC does use some animal fats, artificial flavor enhancers, and allergenic additives in limited menu items.

Making Your Own Judgements on KFC Ingredients

The internet allows misinformation to spread rapidly about restaurant ingredients and preparation. When in doubt, it’s smart to go directly to the source and read KFC’s published allergen and nutrition guides for factual details.

As a customer, you may take issue with KFC’s use of isolated additives, MSG, or artificial flavors even in the absence of pork fat. Or you may have no problem indulging in their signature fried chicken as an occasional treat.

Either way, understanding the truths around these types of claims allows you to make your own informed decisions rather than relying on unverified online hearsay. Keep an open but critical mind, and enjoy your food with confidence.