Most people don't think about what actually goes into their food, but if they ever really knew how their meat was processed, they might think twice about getting the grocery store brand!

From ground beef, to lunch meat, find out what exactly is going on with our greatest sources of popular protein.

If you are a meat-lover, you might have second thoughts after reading about these gross ingredients!

Take a scroll through the next few pages and see how many you already know about... we bet there's a surprise in her for some of you...

Ammonia:

This stinky chemical found in most household cleaning products is used as a gas that kills germs in low-grade fatty beef trimmings.

Meat packing companies started the controversial process in 2001, which resulted in a disgusting product known as pink slime...

Viruses:

Yes, seriously. Bacteriophages are tiny bacteria-killing viruses that make bacteria sick. The process was approved for use in food in 2006.

It gets sprayed on ready-to-eat meat and deli products that are sold in sealed plastic pouches. One type combats E.coli and the other kills Listeria.

Your package will say: "bacteriophage preparation."

Gross - right? But wait! There's more...

Saltwater Injections

It might not seem so bad at first thought, but since salt contributes to high blood pressure and health problems like diabetes, less is always more.

Saltwater is often injected as a plumping agent for raw meats like chicken. It increases the flavor and the weight of the product before it's sold.

Feel cheated?

Carbon Monoxide

You know, like the odorless, colorless gas that can kill you in your sleep? Yah. That stuff. Carbon monoxide is also the disgusting stuff that comes out of your car's exhaust pipe.

It's used for packaging ground beef and fish like tilapia and tuna. What does it do? It keeps them looking pink.

Carbon monoxide is injected into the plastic rap after all air is sucked out. It's not commonly used anymore, thank goodness.

But still - Yuck.

Still with us? Turn to Page 2 for two more gross ingredients in the meats we buy...

Mechanically Separated Meat

You've likely heard this term before, but have you given much thought to what it really is?

Mechanically separated meat is the leftover scraps that cling to the bones of chicken and pork. It's pushed through a fine sieve and some bits of crushed bone and cartilage end up in the final pink paste.

You'll find it in hot dogs for sure.

Eew.

Pink Slime

Not to be confused with Mechanically Separated Meat, it's a close cousin, but the refining process is different.

Again, meat clinging to fat is separated from the bone and melted in a spinning centrifuge. The result separates the fat from the meat and becomes a finely textured beef.

The textured beef is treated with ammonia gas and then added to ground beef as filler. You'll find it in hamburgers and ground beef.

Is this enough to make you switch to organic meats? Or maybe even go vegetarian? Let us know in the comments below!

[h/t Health.com]