There may be no ice cream in fast-food “shakes,” but there is sugar on the French fries. In an interview, Burger King president Donald Smith said that his chain’s fries are sprayed with a sugar solution shortly before being packaged and shipped to individual outlets. The sugar caramelizes in the cooking fat, producing the golden color customers expect. Without it, the fries would be nearly the same color outsides as inside: pasty white. Smith believes that McDonald’s also sugar-coats its fries.

From: Big Secrets By: William Poundstone