Burger King grass act to tame harmful gas

Introducing the new and improved Whopper — now with less cattle gas.

Burger King is serving a version of its signature sandwich made from steers that spew less methane, a nasty greenhouse gas that’s contributing to climate change.

The steers that produce the special patties — which went on sale in five cities Tuesday — are fed with a special diet that the chain developed in an effort to lighten its environmental footprint.

Burger King’s research in collaboration with scientists from the Autonomous University at the State of Mexico and the University of California, Berkeley, yielded a simple formula: Adding 100 grams of lemongrass leaves to steers’ daily diet in the last four months of their lives can cut the amount of methane they emit into the air when they pass gas, burp and poop by up to a third.

The fast-food giant said it’s making its findings public so encourage copycat moves by others, with livestock accounting for 14.5 percent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

“If the whole industry, from farmers, meat suppliers, and other brands, join us, we can increase scale and collectively help reduce methane emissions that affect climate change,” said Fernando Machado, global chief marketing officer at Burger King parent Restaurant Brands International.

The special Whopper will be available while supplies last at five Burger King restaurants in New York City, LA, Austin, Texas, Miami and Portland, Ore.

The move is not without its critics, though, with Sen. Ted Cruz pooh-poohing the chain’s effort to combat climate change. “Humanity is doomed,” the Texas Republican tweeted.