Just by looking at the bright advertisement of juicy burgers and crispy French fries, we have an irresistible desire to visit the nearest fast food restaurant.
But when you see your order, you often feel disappointed - the tomatoes aren't that red, the cutlet is a bit dry, the cheese isn't even close to stretchy, and the bun is far from the fluffy one that was advertised.
The answer is simple – the food you see on TV screens and billboards is inedible.
To take a tempting photo, food stylists use uncooked burgers - undercooked patties and buns look much plumper and juicier compared to those that are cooked through.
In addition, pins are used to create the structure from the bun, vegetables, cheese and meat - with their help, the filling stands straight and seems higher than it actually is.
The meat component of burgers – namely the patties – can even be colored, and this is done not with food coloring, but with shoe polish.
It's not just burgers that can be exposed, but almost everything on the menu.
For example, the bubbles in carbonated drinks are created by adding antacids to the glass. Advertising sauces are waxed to make them appear thick and bright in photographs. The steam we think comes from freshly cooked chicken nuggets or other foods is actually created by a clothes steamer or burning cotton balls, and ice cream in advertising is usually made from plastic or mashed potatoes.
