Are Taco Bell's beans made with lard?

A recent article in the Seattle Times had vegetarians concerned when it stated that Taco Bell's refried beans contained lard. We received several emails and calls from individuals wondering if this was true. Many people referred to our Guide to Fast Food, which states the opposite. We called Taco Bell's nutritionists to check on the story. They confirmed in writing that their beans do not contain any lard, and that they would consider it a step backward to add it. They also said that the chicken broth in their seasoned rice has been replaced with vegetarian broth due to customer requests.  more