A woman suspects her Hormel Bacon contains a pig’s teat. Viewers debate whether that is scientifically possible.
On Sept. 29, a woman (@bigsix21) shared her discovery in a TikTok that amassed over 10,000 views.
“Well, it finally happened,” the woman said. “I’ve heard people talking about it, but it finally happened to me, y’all.”
What Did She Find In Her Bacon?
Then, she points the camera to the end of one side of bacon, with an odd formation that she likely insinuates appears to be a nipple.
Many of the comments were disgusted by the possibility that her bacon contained a pig’s nipple. “I won’t be able to look at bacon the same way again,” one user wrote. “So gross.”
“Omg I swear if I ever found this I wouldn’t eat bacon again,” added another.
However, many comments were skeptical of how that would be possible. “Really?” asked one commenter.
“Doesn’t that come from the inside of the pig?” asked another. “I could see a nipple on a pork rind but not that.”
“Not a nipple,” posited one user. “The nipple is on the skin. Bacon doesn’t have skin on it.”
However, the woman who posted the video replied to the comment, insisting that there was no other explanation. “No, it was a dang nipple,” she said.
Is It Possible For A Package Of Bacon To Contain A Pig’s Teat?
While possible, it is unlikely that a pig’s teat would be found in a package of bacon, as pork-processing standards typically require manufacturers to remove the tissue before bacon reaches consumers.
According to ScienceDirect’s Encyclopedia of Meat Sciences, commercial bacon comes from pork bellies. Processors remove the skin, ribs, and other unwanted tissue before curing the meat. The process also specifically calls for removing the teat line to eliminate mammary glands from the finished product.
Pigs have multiple pairs of mammary glands along their undersides. These glands contain the teats, commonly known as nipples. If processors fail to remove all the mammary tissue during trimming, some could theoretically remain in the pork belly.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the object in her video is an actual nipple. It could also be a piece of connective tissue, fat, or another anatomical structure.
Has Hormel Faced Similar Controversies?
Hormel has faced food safety controversies involving foreign materials in its products. In May 2018, Hormel recalled approximately 228,614 pounds of canned pork and chicken products. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said the products could contain metal fragments. The company issued the recall after receiving four consumer complaints about metal objects.
More recently, in October 2025, Hormel recalled approximately 4.87 million pounds of foodservice chicken products over possible metal contamination. The company identified the affected products as chicken breasts and thighs. The recall did not involve its bacon products.
BroBible reached out to @bigsix21 via TikTok direct message and the TikTok comment section, and to Hormel via email.