Mo Gilligan shocked to discover ingredient in burgers ‘is put in condoms for lubrication’

Mo Gilligan was astounded to find out that an ingredient used to make burgers can also be found in silly putty and condoms.

The comedian, best known for his side-splitting stand-up routines and appearing on TV shows including The Masked Singer UK, has embarked on a new project in a Netflix documentary called Big Chicken: A Fast-Food Conspiracy.

Coming out this week, the film sees the 38-year-old go behind the scenes of the fried chicken phenomenon, learning more about its history and global popularity.

He even puts his own body to the test, eating fried chicken three times a day for 28 days in a row.

At one point in the documentary, he learns that some burgers made with fried chicken, which were being presented as healthier alternatives, actually contained dimethylpolysiloxane.

Dimethylpolysiloxane is a silicone polymer that is used as a food additive known as E900, can be found in products such as shampoo and conditioner, and is used as a lubricant.

‘I’ve met a lot of experts over the last couple of days,’ Mo says in the documentary.

‘You know, one of the ingredients, they also put it in condoms for lubrication. Who knew that went into a burger?

‘So many things go into it that are artificially engineered to give you a better experience and get you to come back for more.’

Speaking to The Sun, the comic admitted that the idea of being paid to eat fried chicken might have sounded like a ‘dream’, but it actually turned out to be more like a ‘nightmare’.

‘Look, I do a job that’s very front-facing and in the public eye. I’d be lying if I said I don’t care about my image, especially if I’m eating fried chicken every day,’ he told the publication.

‘Eating the food was something that I was a bit self-conscious of, but also knowing that in the space of a few days, I went from a large in my T-shirt size to an extra large because of what I’m eating.’

On Instagram, Mo celebrated the release of the film, explaining that it was made by the same company – Mindhouse – that made Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere.

‘As a Black British comedian, it was important for me to challenge the stereotypes around Black people and fried chicken, unpack where those ideas came from, and reclaim a dish that’s part of a much bigger story than the one we’ve been told,’ he wrote on Instagram.

‘I met some incredible people along the way, from historians and farmers to nutrition experts and industry insiders. Every conversation taught me something.

‘This is probably the most exposing thing I’ve ever done, and I can’t wait for you all to see it.’

Big Chicken: A Fast-Food Conspiracy launches on Wednesday August 5 on Netflix.