People horrified as they find out how pre-packaged sandwiches are really made

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Most of us like grabbing a pre-packaged sandwich for lunch when out and about sometimes to make things more convenient.

However, some people are vowing to never eat the lunchtime favourite again after finding out how they're made.

The conversation was sparked by a YouTube video from How It's Made. It showed the behind the scenes process in an American factory, from assembling the ingredients to packaging for shelves. The video opens by explaining that retailers 'specify which ingredients they want in their sandwich order and the factory sets up the assembly lines accordingly.'

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It explains that there are two main ways pre-packaged sandwiches are made, depending on what the customer asks for. The first is manual and machine. First, the worker has to 'align fresh bread into an automated machine'. While doing this, they visually inspect the slices and remove any with holes or other flaws.

After this, the machine takes over for now and 'separates the slices in the loaf, then an internal roller spreads melted butter.' It then drives the buttered slices face up onto the belt that moves through the production line, where an automated depositor squirts mayonnaise on to it.

Following this, it's back to the workers as they manually lay on the more specific ingredients such as cold cuts or grated cheddar cheese. People were stunned, however, to find the workers in the video were not wearing gloves as they handled the sandwiches.

The video explained that 'in the prep area, workers load logs of ham into a slicer'. The retail customer specifies the size and weight of the slices it wants in the sandwich and the slicer is programmed accordingly. The slices then go off to the assembly line where workers add them to the sandwiches, again, with no gloves in this video. Finally, they close the sandwiches up and stack them in piles of two.

Following this, the belt brings the sandwiches to a mechanised cutter and the stacked halves on each side get packaged together as one sandwich.

The second method to make them is machine-only, with no manual labour, which is best when high quantities are needed.

The video explains the sandwiches 'hit store shelves within 12 hours of production and stay fresh for an additional three days, after which the sandwich company removes the unsold ones while making its daily delivery of new ones.'

The video, which was first posted a year ago, has had a whopping 897,000 views and thousands of comments from viewers on YouTube. Many were horrified after watching, with one person writing; "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."

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Someone who used to work in a sandwich factory themselves also said it was 'absolutely horrible," adding: "Just imagine those pre packed sandwiches each touched by at least a dozen hands before getting in your mouth." While another person who also noticed the lack of gloves added: "I love how her wedding band touches every sandwich she makes."

Many claimed the video had put them off packaged sandwiches, with one viewer writing: "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." Another added: "Thank you for this video. No more eating packaged sandwiches!"

Food
YouTube

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