McDonald's announced last week that, as of last August, is has stopped using ammonium hydroxide in the production of its hamburgers. MSNBC reports that the chemical, used in fertilizers, household cleaners and even homemade explosives, was also used to prepare McDonalds' hamburger meat.

And while the announcement is making headlines, you may (or may not) want to know about some other unusual chemicals being used in the production of some of our most-popular foods:

• Propylene glycol: This chemical is very similar to ethylene glycol, a dangerous anti-freeze. This less-toxic cousin prevents products from becoming too solid. Some ice creams have this ingredient; otherwise you'd be eating ice.
  
  
• Carmine: Commonly found in red food coloring, this chemical comes from crushed cochineal, small red beetles that burrow into cacti. Husks of the beetle are ground up and forms the basis for red coloring found in foods ranging from cranberry juice to M&Ms.
  
  
• Shellac: Yes, this chemical used to finish wood products also gives some candies their sheen. It comes from the female Lac beetle.
  
  
• L-cycsteine: This common dough enhancer comes from hair, feathers, hooves and bristles.
  
  
• Lanolin (gum base): Next time you chew on gum, remember this. The goopiness of gum comes from lanolin, oils from sheep's wool that is also used for vitamin D3 supplements.
  
  
• Silicon dioxide: Nothing weird about eating sand, right? This anti-caking agent is found in many foods including shredded cheese and fast food chili.

So, what moved McDonald's to make the change in their hamburger production? In a statement posted on its website, McDonald's senior director of quality systems Todd Bacon wrote:

"At the beginning of 2011, we made a decision to discontinue the use of ammonia-treated beef in our hamburgers. This product has been out of our supply chain since August of last year. This decision was a result of our efforts to align our global standards for how we source beef around the world."

Oh I am so glad I am vegetarian!

Please don't tell me they put nasties in the McFlurries though?

Oh, just yuck!

Me and Carys saw this on the news some weeks back and it's just another reason I wouldn't touch that yuck.

So they're ditching it? Why was ammonium hydroxide in it in the first place?

As I like Mcdonalds, I'm one of those that would be eating me burger and chips even if they had a piccie of the goo up on the wall

Me too! I know crap goes in but tbh, I don't care as it's a treat for me. I am slim and healthy but I enjoy a good pig out at Maccy D's. I worry about what goes in my other food, not when I'm eating junk food.

Helen