WHILE McDonald’s Australia is phasing out plastic straws and has gone cage-free in the last year, it won’t be following US McDonald’s move to ditch artificial preservatives, colours and flavours just yet.

Today, the world’s largest burger chain announced its seven classic burgers sold in US chains were now artificial preservative-free, with reformulated buns and sauces.

These include the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, the hamburger, cheeseburger, double cheese burger and double Quarter Pounder.

The only problem is the pickle, which is still made with an artificial preservative — but customers can ask to remove it.

US McDonald’s says the ingredient changes will impact two-thirds of the company’s burgers and sandwiches and about 14,000 US stores.

McDonald’s USA president Chris Kempczinski told reporters the amount the company spent to make the switch was “minimal” so prices would not be going up as a result.

The problematic ingredients in McDonald’s products - in terms of preservatives - are the American-style cheese, the Big Mac special sauce and some of their buns.

The US outlet has also switched to 100 per cent fresh, not frozen, beef Quarter Pounders, removing artificial preservatives from their chicken nuggets and committing to going cage-free by 2025.

McDonald’s Australia has been cage-free since the end of 2017, and their Chicken McNuggets are also preservative-free.

However the company wouldn’t confirm whether they’d be following the US in their pledge to ditch artificial preservatives, colours and flavours.

“In Australia, we’re taking steps to remove artificial colours, flavours and preservatives from our menu wherever possible,” a McDonald’s Australia spokeswoman said.

“Our most recent focus has been introducing a number of Happy Meal items free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives, including a new wholemeal tortilla wrap for our grilled chicken snack wrap, Petit Miam strawberry yoghurt and our McNuggets.”

WHAT MCDONALD’S US ARE CHANGING:

American Cheese: No more sorbic acid, an artificial preservative. The company had previously switched to a naturally-derived beta carotene to give the cheese its orange colour.

Big Mac sauce: No more potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate and calcium disodium EDTA, all artificial preservatives. The sauce contains no fake flavours or colours.

Burger buns: The artificial preservative calcium propionate was removed from the regular bun. Their sesame seed bun used on the Quarter Pounder and the Big Mac contained no artificial colours or flavours.

While it’s unclear if McDonald’s Australia will do the same anytime soon, one thing is for sure — it’s best to hold the pickle.