You never can tell what you’re getting when you buy a processed ready meal. This point was really reinforced recently when Boston Market was forced to recall close to 200,000 pounds of frozen entrees, after people complained about finding bits of plastic and glass in their meals.

It seems unhealthy chemicals and processed ingredients are not always all you get when you buy a heat-and-eat meal.

A Class 1 USDA recall

As reported by EcoWatch, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a Class 1 recall of 173,376 pounds of frozen pork meals produced by Jackson, Ohio-based Bellisio Foods, after consumers reported findings pieces of plastic and glass in Boston Market’s boneless pork rib patties.

The USDA defines a Class 1 recall as a product which represents “a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”

The affected products have been identified as Boston Market Home Style Meals Boneless Pork Rib Shaped Patty with BBQ Sauce & Mashed Potatoes, with best before dates of 12/07/2019 lot code 8341, 01/04/2020 lot code 9004, 01/24/2020 lot code 9024 and 02/15/2020 lot code 9046. The USDA advised that consumers would be able to identify the products more easily by looking out for an “EST. 18297” establishment number on the package flap at the end of the carton.

In a statement to Newsweek, Boston Market was quick to reassure the public that it had taken all the necessary steps to get the potentially contaminated products off supermarket shelves as quickly as possible.

As reported by Newsweek, the statement noted:

It is Boston Market’s understanding that there have been no confirmed reports of injury or illness with respect to this frozen entrée product. Consumers who have purchased this frozen entrée product should throw it away or return it to the place of purchase. The recall does not involve any products that are sold in Boston Market restaurants.

Processed foods pose many other risks

Of course, potential glass and plastic contamination that could result in “serious, adverse health consequences or death” is immensely scary to the public, and any consumers who read about the recall would quickly have returned the products to the store where they were purchased or have discarded them entirely.

However, it is important to note that this type of contamination is by no means the only serious health risk we should be aware of when it comes to processed foods.

Experts warn that fresh, unprocessed foods – particularly non-GMO, organic produce – are always a far healthier option.

Natural News previously reported:

Cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack, stroke, or high blood pressure, typically develops because of too much consumption of sodium and cholesterol. To protect against cardiovascular problems, it is recommended to reduce your sodium intake. This means cutting back, or even eliminating, your consumption of processed food, which is known to be high in sodium, among other unhealthy substances. (Related: Fresh is best for your heart: Expert warns about the dangers of processed food.)

Canned and packaged foods are often high in sodium, unhealthy fats, chemicals, preservatives, flavorings and colorants. (Related: Processed foods linked to increase in obesity and cancer.)

Another really sensible reason to choose unprocessed foods as often as possible is the fact that these foods contain far more vital nutrients, since processing foods, for example through canning, drying, or freezing, can greatly affect the quality of the nutrients that remain.

Cooking fresh, unprocessed meals for your family might seem overwhelming and time-consuming, but the health benefits are well worth any extra effort required.

Learn more about the benefits of fresh, unprocessed foods at Fresh.news.

Sources include:

EcoWatch.com

Newsweek.com

NaturalNews.com