15 Disgusting Things That, Unfortunately, Enhance Our Dining Experience
![15 Disgusting Things That, Unfortunately, Enhance Our Dining Experience](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/4/3/1/887431_320x180.jpg)
Ah, the wonders of modern food production! From 70,000 bugs to beaver-scented perfume, it's no wonder we can find such a wide variety of ingredients in our everyday food. But have you ever stopped to consider just what's in your food? How about the secret ingredients that make up the flavor and texture of your favorite snacks?
From Kopi Luwak, the world's priciest coffee made from civet cat poop, to Salt Bae's signature salting technique, to the use of wood pulp in fast food, the food industry is full of strange and fascinating ingredients. And don't forget the use of fish swim bladders in beer, or the microbial citric acid used in place of lemons, or the beaver secretions in perfumes.
In this list, you'll find 15 of the strangest ingredients used in food production today. From pig skin in Jell-O to antifreeze in burgers, these ingredients may surprise you. But rest assured, they've been approved by the FDA and are generally safe to consume. So go ahead, indulge your curiosity and find out what's really in your food.
Smoke gets everywhere these days.
![CRACKED LIQUID SMOKE Liquid smoke has been around for centuries, used to make wood vinegar for fertilizer and pest control. Now it's in BBQ sauce, chips, and bacon. FIGARO since 1904 HICKORY LIQUID SMOKE & BBQ MARINADE INDOOR OUTDOOR 128 FL.OZ. (1 GAL)](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/7/887117.jpg)
It's antifreeze, but it's edible!
![CRACKED ANTIFREEZE INGREDIENTS Propylene glycol is a food additive that's generally safe, but has caused health worries because it's in antifreeze. It's used to make food look, taste, and last longer.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/6/887116.jpg)
US health officials: burgers are okay.
![CRACKED AMMONIA Some consumers were shocked to find out burgers have ammonia-treated beef, but it's approved by US health officials for cheese, baked goods, and chocolate.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/5/887115.jpg)
Meat: now 5x saltier than before!
![CRACKED SALT WATER 30-90% of poultry, beef, and pork are injected with salt water, making them 5x saltier.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/4/887114.jpg)
Chips: the snack that doubles as a bathroom cleaner?
![CRACKED TOILET CLEANING CHEMICALS Potato chips have preservatives and chemicals, like sodium bisulfite, which is also in toilet cleaners. These are added to make them last longer and stop them from going bad, but can be dangerous if eaten too much. method LIFE CLOROX CLEAN DAY MEYER'S](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/0/5/887105.jpg)
Feathers, hair, and hog hair, oh my!
![CRACKED HOG HAIR L-cysteine is a dough conditioner made from feathers, hair, and hog hair, used in bread.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/0/6/887106.jpg)
Gum: Chewier than an inner tube!
![CRACKED SECRET RUBBER Most gum brands list gum base as an ingredient, which is a proprietary secret. It's made of polyisobutylene, or butyl rubber, like inner tubes. That's why gum is chewy.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/0/887110.jpg)
Pig skin, jiggly and strong - the perfect snack!
![CRACKED PIG SKIN Jell-O is a processed version of collagen, a protein that helps keep connective tissues strong and elastic. It's usually made from pig skin.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/2/887112.jpg)
Fiber, schmiber - just add wood!
![CRACKED WOOD PULP Fast food companies are adding wood pulp to many items. It's in almost all fast food, like buns, cheeses, sauces, cakes, shakes, rolls, fries, onion rings, smoothies, and meats.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/1/887111.jpg)
Fishy beer, ready in a flash!
![CRACKED FISH BLADDERS Beermakers use isinglass, fish swim bladders, to speed up yeast removal from beer from 4 days to 6 hours. It's commonly used with British cask ales, stouts and lagers.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/0/7/887107.jpg)
Aspergillus niger: making lemons (?) out of industrial opportunities.
![CRACKED MOLD Aspergillus niger, a type of mold, makes a key industrial commodity: microbial citric acid. That's the stuff that ends up in your food, not citric acid from actual lemons.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/0/3/887103.jpg)
Beaver-scented food and perfume: FDA-approved and musky-vanilla-y!
![CRACKED BEAVER SECRETIONS Castoreum has been used for centuries as a flavoring and scent in food and perfumes. It's a mix of beaver secretions, and is listed as safe by the FDA. It has a musky, vanilla scent due to the beaver's diet.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/0/4/887104.jpg)
Salt: Nusret's recipe for success.
![CRACKED SALT BAE'S BIG GIMMICK Chef Nusret Gökçe's signature move of seasoning meat with a three-fingered pinch of salt is a showstopper. Theatrics? Yeah, too much. But the technique does ensure the meat is seasoned evenly.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/3/887113.jpg)
Coffee with a side of civet cat poop, anyone?
![CRACKED CAT POOP Civet cats in Southeast Asia and Africa eat coffee beans, digest them, then poop them out. That's Корі Luwak, the world's priciest coffee, costing up to $80 a cup.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/0/9/887109.jpg)
70,000 bugs: the secret to a vibrant hue!
![CRACKED INSECTS AND CARMINIC ACID 70,000 bugs make one pound of dried insect and a fifth of a pound of carminic acid, used to color food, textiles and cosmetics for centuries.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/0/8/887108.jpg)