The market for ready-to-eat foods, such as frozen goods, canned vegetables and meats, and packaged dairy, is expanding rapidly. Customers are drawn to items that offer flavour and value, but how often do we question what goes into the meals we buy? There are many things in the world that you won't discover unless you dig deep enough, such as beaver butt discharge and fish bladders to human hair in things you eat happily. Looks can be really deceptive. Here are 9 such things you have eaten, chewed, gulped, devoured and guzzled, passing them off as safe. 

Canned Fungi

Mushrooms, let's be honest, are soil organisms. Canned mushrooms are not what they seem to be, despite the fact that they are tasty fungi. The can's contents are more important than the mushrooms themselves. A specific number of maggots are permitted in accordance with FDA criteria. The group estimates that 30 maggots and 75 mites may coexist safely in a single container.

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Canned food, Image Source: Pexels

Synthetic sugar substitutes

Long ago, it became clear that aspartame was not the calorie-free sweetener we had been taught to believe. It has been shown that using artificial sweeteners is not without its drawbacks. Many health concerns have been linked to the same sweetener used in "diet" soda. Cancer, Alzheimer's, dementia, stroke, heart disease, mental problems, headaches, and migraines are some diseases and conditions that might develop as a result.

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is a tasty condiment, but it's hard to ignore that it's also high in fat and calories. This is assuming you're not one of the vociferous minorities who don't like mayo. If you eat it in extremely little amounts, you don't have to bid adieu to it forever. Likewise, always read the label and go for low fat versions. 

Vaccum-sealed meat

Due to our hectic schedules, we frequently buy large quantities of prepackaged meat at the grocery store. Yet, consuming substances other than protein is possible even if you purchase premium-quality meat. Carbon monoxide is used in meat processing facilities because it prevents meat's red colour from fading after exposure to air. The amount is small and has no effect on the flavour, but it is a double-edged sword nonetheless. Meat that has gone rotten will still seem the same colour.

Packaged meat, Image Source: Pexels

Frozen Food

It's easy to see why frozen meals are household staple. Rather than spending time in the kitchen after a hard day, you may quickly and easily prepare a nutritious dinner in a microwave oven and enjoy it when you get home. They're high in the three things you should limit in your diet: fat, calories, and salt.

Pre-packed Bread

Bread has become a standard packaged grocery item. However, fresh-baked bread only lasts for a few days, whereas prepackaged bread can last for weeks. L-cysteine is the key, and it's not just any old preservative. Human hair is the source of this product. Typically, hair is collected, treated in acid to extract the L-cysteine, and sent to bakeries for bread use.

Beer

Beer's accessibility across dietary spectrums has been well-acknowledged for quite some time. Nonetheless, you should be aware that vegans also need to be cautious. Isinglass is a deceptive additive used in the brewing process. Where does this originate from? Yet, it makes the hue bright and appealing. Fish bladders are the original source of this substance. 

A mug of beer, Image Source: Pexels

Vanilla and Strawberry ice cream

Beaver butt juice has been found in a wide variety of foods, including vanilla and strawberry ice creams. Because of the need for secrecy around the use of this little mammal's secretions, it is unclear which leading brands of these frozen desserts benefit from this boon.

Chocolate Bars

Even our dearest chocolate may be tainted. As many as eight bug legs may be concealed within a chocolate bar and still be considered "inspection-ready," according to industry standards. Think about that the next time you bite into a crunchy bar and wonder what makes it so. Is that a nut cluster, or perhaps the corpse of a bug who hitched a ride but met an untimely end?