By Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times

When you fantasize about a classic burger, you think of a juicy patty, your favorite toppings, a warm bun and maybe a little bacon. Chances are you aren’t dreaming about eating any wood pulp.

But if you eat at some of the nation’s top fast-food restaurants, you could be eating wood pulp. Burger King, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Carl’s Jr. and Wendy’s all have items on their menus that contain this ingredient.

Instead of seeing wood pulp listed in the nutrition information, you’ll see cellulose. It’s a common food additive, made of tiny pieces of wood pulp and plant fibers.

Cellulose also can be listed by some of its many other names, as noted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as powdered cellulose, alpha-cellulose, flour cellulose, cellulose fiber, Microcrystalline cellulose, cellulose casing and regenerated cellulose.

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