05 March 2024 , 10:47
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As a nation we love our lunchtime meal deals, but several people have vowed to never eat one again after finding out how pre-packaged sandwiches are made.
It might surprise you to know that the most popular Tesco meal deal sandwich is the Sausage, Bacon and Egg Triple, followed by the Chicken Triple. But whether you're a simple ham and cheese person, or like to splash out on more elaborate toppings, there's no doubting how convenient they are.
But after learning how these pre-packaged sandwiches are made, many have considered giving up this much-loved lunch staple. If you had visions of people lovingly hand-spreading toppings on freshly-baked slices of bread, prepare to be disappointed.
People are shocked after finding out how pre-packaged sandwiches are made (Discovery)It comes after a video of a sandwich factory has resurfaced, garnering a whopping 1m views and thousands of comments. Only continue reading if you're filling to give up your ham and cheese, and egg mayo sarnies.
In the video, which was shared on YouTube from How It's Made, showed the whole process of making the sandwiches in an American factory, from assembling the ingredients to making them ready to display in supermarkets. It's explained that the retailers "specify which ingredients they want in their sandwich order and the factory sets up the assembly lines accordingly".
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There are two ways the pre-packed sandwiches can be made in the factory - one combining manual labour and machinery, while the other is fully automated. For the first method, the factory workers can be seen lining up fresh bread into the automated machine.
At this point they also inspect each slice to make sure they don't have any holes or other flaws, which they then remove. The machine then takes over by separating the slices properly and an "internal roller spreads melted butter".
These buttered slices then move along the production line, where they are squirted with dollops of mayonnaise. It's the next stage which has really put people off. In the video, you can see workers at the ready with boxes full of ingredients such as cheese and ham, which they add to each slice with their bare hands.
The next method is best when high quantities of sandwiches are needed, as it requires no manual labour. Instead, a robot suctions up bread slices and places them on a moving belt. In thee video, you can see an egg mayo sarnie being made.
People were horrified after watching the video, with one person saying: "It's great how the workers use their bare hands to feel the connection of everyone before and after them who has touched the sandwich." Another wrote: "As someone who works in a school kitchen, it's blowing my mind to see these workers handling food that will go out to millions without any form of glove."
A third wrote: "It's been years since I've bought a pre-made sandwich and after seeing this I can confidently say it will be many more years to come before I buy another," while another added: "Thank you for this video. No more eating packaged sandwiches!"
What do you think after seeing the video? Let us know in the comment section below.