In-N-Out‘s ingredient changes are broader than most customers will have noticed, with the chain quietly updating its burger buns, ketchup and salt packets over the past year. The announcement came via an Instagram post in which the chain confirmed all three shifts, stating: ‘We remain committed to serving our Customers with the freshest, highest-quality food possible. Over the years, we’ve made meaningful changes to our ingredients, and this past year was no exception.’
Sesame Flour Removed From Buns Across 10 States
The most consequential of the In-N-Out ingredient changes concerns its buns. The chain confirmed that sesame flour is no longer used in buns across 10 states, a move that has drawn an appreciative response from customers managing food allergies. According to Tasting Table, sesame flour had been present in some In-N-Out buns since 2024, making the removal a relatively recent reversal rather than a longstanding practice.
The context behind the change stretches back further. In 2021, President Biden signed the FASTER Act, which identified sesame as a food allergen and required food manufacturers to clearly list it in their allergen ingredients starting in January 2023, according to Tasting Table. Around 1.6 million people in the U.S. have sesame allergies, per Tasting Table, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has required manufacturers to treat it with the same labelling rigour applied to peanuts, tree nuts and other major allergens since that legislation took effect.
The customer response on In-N-Out’s Instagram post reflected just how much the bun update matters in practice. ‘So grateful the buns don’t have sesame! My 4 year old is anaphylactic allergic to sesame and tree nuts, and @innout is one of the few safe places for him to eat anything!’ one parent wrote. The comment sits as a fairly clear illustration of the real-world stakes attached to what might otherwise read as routine reformulation work.
Ketchup Formula and Salt Packets Also Updated
The bun update is not the only In-N-Out ingredient change to have landed recently. On the ketchup front, the chain confirmed it switched both its packets and dispensers in 2025 to a version made with sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. That swap had already taken effect before the Instagram announcement, meaning customers have been receiving the reformulated ketchup without necessarily being aware of it.
Salt packets have changed, too. In 2026, the chain replaced iodized salt with sea salt, rounding out three distinct reformulations across the condiment and bread side of its offering. Taken together, the changes represent a meaningful shift in what goes into an In-N-Out order, even if nothing about its appearance on the tray has altered.
In-N-Out’s menu has long been one of the shorter ones in fast food, and its core products have remained visually consistent for decades. The chain does not frequently publicise changes to its supply chain or formulations. The decision to address all three updates in a single social media post, framed around a commitment to quality, suggests the chain was aware that customers paying close attention to allergen and ingredient labelling would want the information consolidated.
Not everyone responding to the announcement was simply satisfied. Several customers used the comments to push for further changes, with requests including a gluten-free bun option and a change to the fry oil. ‘Please make a gluten free bun!!!!’ one person wrote, while another called for an update to the oil used for cooking. The chain has not indicated any plans to act on either request.
For those managing sesame allergies specifically, though, the removal of sesame flour from buns across 10 states represents a concrete development. With the FASTER Act now fully in effect and sesame formally classified alongside the other major allergens by the FDA, the pressure on food businesses to revisit sesame-containing products has been clear since January 2023. In-N-Out’s bun reformulation is one practical outcome of that regulatory shift.