The Dangers of Prepackaged Foods

Prepackaged foods are so convenient, but what is the food industry hiding from us?
The Dangers of Prepackaged Foods
Elisa Morales Lupayante

Reviewed and approved by the pedagogue in physical education and nutritionist Elisa Morales Lupayante.

Last update: 15 December, 2022

Ready-to-eat meals are taking over the market with hundreds of frozen food options available to consumers. They’re seen as a quick and “easy” way to make a meal and still enjoy a relatively good flavor, any time of the day. But what are the hidden dangers of prepackaged foods?

Day in, day out, the food industry sells us a huge amount of prepackaged foods with misleading ads. These make no reference to the possible consequences that these products could have on your body if consumed on a regular basis.

The global food industry has plenty of secrets, aimed at creating loyal consumers with no regard for their health. However, researchers have revealed these secrets, and have discovered the dangers of frequently consuming ready-to-eat meals.

Highly dangerous foods

One of the keys to the success of prepackaged foods is that they taste the same from the day you buy them up until their expiration date. However, most consumers don’t realize what enables them to keep that delicious flavor.

The truth is that these foods undergo a series of chemical treatments. These treatments add tons of preservatives to keep them fresh and delicious for a longer time.

See also: How to Avoid Chemicals during Day-to-Day Activities

A plate of hamburger and fries.

Most prepackaged or processed foods, if not all, have high amounts of sugar, saturated fats, sodium, and chemical substances. They also have far less fiber than what your body needs. Frequent consumption of these foods can have negative effects on your health, resulting in diseases such as:

Some of the prepackaged foods that could present risks to your health are:

  • Cookies
  • Chocolate-flavored foods
  • Yogurts
  • Pastries
  • Ice creams
  • Granola bars
  • Sodas
  • Ready-to-eat meals
  • Hamburgers
  • Instant soup
  • Instant noodles
  • Butter
  • Canned goods
  • Sausages
  • And, in general, any industrialized food that can be prepared and eaten almost instantly.

One of the biggest problems with these foods is that they lose nutrients, while filling you up with more calories. In other words, you end up consuming more calories without absorbing the vitamins and minerals you need. Vitamins and minerals that are crucial to proper body function and fat digestion.

Acrylamide: one of the biggest dangers in prepackaged foods

Cancerous cells in the body.

The food industry has done a good job of convincing consumers that prepackaged foods are their best option. Ads show us how easy it is to prepare these meals and how delicious they can be. This makes the consumers trust these products when buying them.

However, a number of studies have revealed that all those beautiful images in ads are not so true. They are alerting consumers about the serious dangers of frequently consuming the fast food offered by the food industry.

One of the dangerous substances that researchers found about a decade ago is a potentially neurotoxic chemical called acrylamide, which has also been linked to cancer. This substance is created when foods that are rich in carbohydrates are cooked at high temperatures. This is the same whether that be by frying, baking, roasting or grilling.

This chemical substance is created in a high temperature environment. This causes sugars and an amino-acid called asparagine to react. Some of the prepackaged foods with this dangerous substance include potato chips, french fries, bread crust, toast, hard bread, or breakfast cereals, among others.

Consumers aren’t aware of these dangers

Large food industries run huge ad campaigns to win customers over and convince them that their prepackaged foods are a great option. However, they are not required to inform consumers about the health dangers associated with frequently consuming this type of food.

Legally, some foods have to include a list of all the ingredients, additives and chemical products used to prepare the food on their wrapper. However, for example, the law says nothing about selling a croissant that has been frozen for weeks and that is full of additives as “fresh out of the oven.”

Have you ever done any research about the compounds you consume in your food? If you start to investigate a bit about the components in prepackaged foods, you’ll surely realize how dangerous they are for your health.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.



This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.