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When ordering at a cafe or purchasing groceries, we typically don’t expect to find surprises in our food. Yet, errors in production lines or daydreaming chefs can lead to inedible but intriguing things ending up in our food. Discovering items such as spiders, fishing hooks, or screws in your meal poses safety issues. Statistics show that approximately 600 million people fall ill after consuming contaminated food.

Given these potential risks, the Bored Panda team has compiled a list of photos showcasing some of the most unexpected items people were shocked to find in their food. Luckily, these items were noticed long before reaching someone’s mouth.

It’s a reminder to be extra observant the next time you sit down for a meal, and let’s hope you’re not snacking as you scroll through this list.

#1 With Added Ferrum

Image credits: reddit.com

Food safety is one of the key areas of focus in public health as it affects every person around the world. When something gets into food that shouldn’t be there it becomes unsafe to consume. This can happen through biological, chemical, and physical contamination.

Biological contamination occurs when disease-causing bacteria or viruses infect food that is later consumed. The toxins they release often lead to food poisoning and can be very dangerous. Products such as meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy are more vulnerable to bacterial growth and are considered high-risk. Properly storing, cleaning, and cooking these foods at the correct temperature can help reduce the risk of biological contamination.

Chemical contamination happens when substances like cleaning products, non-food grade plastics, and pesticides get into your food. Additionally, physical contamination involves foreign objects like hair, pests, various materials, and dirt entering the food

#2 Got A Surprise In My Pizza Tonight

Image credits: JumboJon85

#3 I Bought Sausage, And Then Found This

Image credits: prmhp

#4 Frog Flavor

Image credits: JannikAhoi

Nowadays, we automatically expect that our eaten goods will be hygienic and only contain the ingredients labeled on the packaging. However, natural produce is not grown in completely sterile conditions, which means that our diet might occasionally include traces of soil, animal hairs, mold, feces, and insects. This has been acknowledged by the US government in the publication of the Defect Levels Handbook which defines acceptable levels of food contamination from sources such as maggots, insect fragments, rodent hairs, and animal feces. Crushed oregano, for example, can contain 300 or more insect bits and about two rodent hairs for every 10 grams.

#5 This Shell In My Sea Salt

Image credits: codmac

#6 Found This In My Dinner

Image credits: thelegendxsonx

#7 He’s So Adorable, Is This My Starter Pokémon?

Image credits: simoncurtis

Environmental pollution, though often invisible, can also find its way into our food. It enters through plants or animals that have been exposed to pollution in the water and soil. For example, water pollution may accumulate and concentrate in fish. In Japan, the release of industrial waste into the sea resulted in locals eating seafood containing mercury and later suffering from the neurological disease Minamata.

#8 Potato In My Potato Chips

Image credits: Bright-Tax5628

#9 My Ice Cream Was Solid Ice On The Inside

Image credits: m4cc663

#10 Found The Spoon, Honey

Image credits: reddit.com

When we think of food poisoning, flowers rarely come to mind. Interestingly, a couple of species of rhododendron plants produce harmful toxins in their nectar. Bees collect it and produce honey that can lead to “mad honey disease”, causing symptoms such as hallucinations, nausea, and vomiting.

For this reason, these flowers were indirectly used to fight armies. In 67 BCE, Roman soldiers were deceived into consuming the honey, causing them to disorientate, which led to the deaths of over 1,000 troops. In Turkey, the same “mad honey” is available for purchase at 166 dollars per pound, and it is widely regarded as a long-standing tradition.

#11 My Vegan Chicken Wing Had A Wooden Bone In It

Image credits: Capital_Actuator_404

#12 My Wife Cut Open Some Squid While Making Dinner To Find The Squid’s Dinner

Image credits: Mr_Kealy

#13 Opened A Clif Builder Bar To Find A Piece Taken Out

Image credits: Snowedin-69

A quick look at any ingredients list will likely reveal a few strange substances, and although some might seem unappealing, they may not necessarily be harmful. For example, shellac, commonly used for nail polish, is also employed to add gloss to food, such as apples and candies (listed as additive number 904). Substances like silicon dioxide, known as sand, are often found in everyday items like salt, soup, and coffee creamer to prevent dry components from clumping. Additionally, cellulose, primarily derived from wood pulp, is added to shredded cheese to prevent the strands from sticking together.

#14 Found This In My Take-Out From My Favorite Chinese Restaurant

Image credits: nthensome

#15 I Found This In My Bag Of Cheetos And I Have No Clue What It Is

Image credits: DeafLizardX28

#16 Found A Live Spider In My Unopened Queso After Breaking The Seal

Image credits: starbunny02

#17 My Oyster Had A Little Crab Inside Of It

Image credits: 3xTheSchwarm

#18 Found A Scorpion In A Crate Of Fruits From Mexico At The Restaurant I Work At

Image credits: rainbowzky

Not all manufacturers disclose chemical additives to the government or consumers. The Food and Drug Administration has introduced a law that considers certain common food ingredients, like vinegar and vegetable oil, generally safe without needing a formal check. Over time, it has become a loophole, allowing manufacturers to decide the safety of their new chemicals in food without informing the FDA. Despite the FDA’s attempts to encourage the industry to voluntarily share all ingredients, people become worried about ensuring food safety in the industry. At this point, it’s nearly impossible to determine if common household products do not contain chemicals that could have harmful effects.

#19 Today I Found A Tiny Shell In My Sea Salt

Image credits: JustPonsie

#20 Found This Is In My Bag Of Peanuts Today

Image credits: Californias0ul

#21 Just Found A Lug Nut In My Fruit Bar

Image credits: HaemmerHead

#22 I Just Bit Down On A Screw In My Bagel From Noah’s Bagels

I felt a sharp pain as I bit down and couldn’t believe what I just found. Location was in Sherman Oaks, CA.

Image credits: aztechfilm

Most of these unexpected discoveries in food could be prevented by taking some precautions. Gary Marnum, an instructor at the Marine Institute, advises that the safest thing you can do is to cook your food thoroughly and keep your dry products like flour in a dry environment. Fresh produce should be washed under running water with a good scrub, while items such as rice, grains, and beans can be soaked and cleaned in multiple changes of water. Though it might be challenging to avoid eating some dirt or a few bugs, taking these precautions can help increase your food safety.

#23 A Scorpion Tail Was Found In This Ice Cream

Image credits: micheas08

#24 My Bag Of Mixed Veggies

Image credits: therealmikechadwick

#25 My Chinese Food Has A Carrot That’s Cut Up Like A Fish

Image credits: mrbaoss

#26 Found A Perfect Salt Crystal In My Sea Salt Packet

Image credits: c3r3n1ty

#27 Found A Starfish In One Of My Mussels

Image credits: DalhousieU23

#28 Found This Steel Plate In My Papa John’s Pizza Takeout

Image credits: Peekatew

#29 Found A Living Black Widow Between My Organic Grapes

Image credits: flexdogwalk3

#30 A Side That Wasn’t Expected

Image credits: Luke10089

#31 This Rotisserie Chicken My Sister Bought Came With The Rod Still Attached

Image credits: reddit.com

#32 Found A Penny In My Lunch

Image credits: TheOldManRust

#33 My Friend Ordered A Burger And It Arrived With A Metal Screw

Image credits: poppukonvision

#34 I Ordered Some Food For Delivery Today And There’s A Massive Metal Handle In My Food. Got A Partial Refund From DoorDash

Image credits: breadiestbread

#35 I’m Very Patiently Waiting For My Fiancé To Wake Up So I Can Find Out Why There Is A Bite Mark In The Butter

Image credits: ravens_revenge

#36 Found This In My Funyuns’ Bag. What Is It?

Image credits: Pure-College-3650

#37 Found A Yellow Airhead Bite But It Doesn’t Exist According To The Flavor Guide

Image credits: Moundsy

#38 I Found These Crystals At The Bottom Of A Bottle Of Maple Syrup That Sat In The Back Of My Refrigerator For A Few Years

Image credits: cutelyaware

#39 Found A Pearl In My Oysters

Image credits: Wallywutsizface

#40 My Kid Got A Box Of Onions Instead Of Nuggets In His Happy Meal

Image credits: Pit_it_and_quit_it

#41 My Mom Found A Whole Potato In The Bag Of French Fries Tonight

Image credits: _dead_meat

#42 There Was A Hair In My Microwaved Meal When I Peeled Back The Lid

Image credits: PubliclyDisturbed

#43 Cut Open A Jalapeño And Found This

Image credits: wizards_tower

#44 Found This Feathery Bastard Standing In My Dinner Last Night, He’s Refusing To Move

Image credits: drinkbeerwithastraw

#45 I Wondered Why My Chips Had No Flavor. All The Seasonings Were Clumped Together In The Shape Of A Rock

Image credits: Fluffy-Bluebird

#46 A Bullet Was Found In My Moose Ribeye

Image credits: Hushi88

#47 Ants Got Into This Bag Of Chips I Left Out Overnight And They All Died

Image credits: BobbyPops11

#48 This Dijon Mustard Came Without A Lid, And The Expiration Date Was Printed Onto The Mustard Inside

Image credits: EthanGLD

#49 My Frozen Pizza Had The Cardboard In Between The Toppings And The Crust

Image credits: CF_Gamebreaker

#50 Couldn’t Get This Beer Open For 10 Minutes Straight. Pried Off The Top To Find Another Top

Image credits: Caca5ta1n

#51 Finding Out That My Delicious Mug Of Tea Was Actually Earwig Tea

Image credits: RandomBitFry

#52 I Just Found A Wing Nut In My Water At A Restaurant

Image credits: PigsFly465

#53 This Is How My Deli Turkey Was Delivered To My Work. Opened The Tattered Box And Saw A Piece Of Broken Pallet Stuck Right Into It

Image credits: SoulLeakage

#54 There Was A Piece Of Wood In My Vegetable Bag

Image credits: Rad_Ben_Danklin

#55 My Sister Got A Mini Starfish In Her Mussels

Image credits: MacaronCats

#56 My Girlfriend Found A Slug In Her Salad After She Ate The Whole Thing

Image credits: slablem

#57 Bread Tag In My Burger… It Was In My Mouth

Image credits: nutsotic

#58 Found Two Snails In My Publix Store-Bought Grapes. What Do I Do? Why Are They In This? Should I Be Worried? It’s Been In The Fridge Overnight

I was eating grapes and I found a shell in my grapes and thought, “that’s weird”. Then a snail came out of it. Now I feel sick, and then another one appeared…. What do I do?