Panera Bread Co., ratcheting up the restaurant industry’s race to purify ingredients, will be the first national chain to serve so-called clean bacon.
The company spent the past year working with suppliers to remove artificial nitrates and preservatives from the bacon it uses on sandwiches and salads at its roughly 2,000 cafes. The pork project was part of a larger effort by the St. Louis-based company to rid its menu of artificial flavors, colors, preservatives and sweeteners by the end of the year.
