The shock of seeing your meal suddenly spring off your plate and onto the floor is not something you anticipate when dining out.

But that’s exactly what happened in a recent viral video capturing the moment when a piece of meat seemed to crawl off its plate. Drawing immediate comparisons to the undead, the incident sparked fears of a zombie apocalypse, albeit unfounded ones.

Understandably, the sight of food moving on its own prompted reactions of horror from onlookers. Yet, there’s a logical explanation behind this eerie phenomenon—one that thankfully doesn’t involve the reanimation of the dead.

It turns out that the meat’s post-mortem twitching can be attributed to its freshness and exposure to salt. Neurons remaining active in the flesh react to the sodium ions present in salt and soy sauce, causing muscle contractions even after death. This involuntary movement gives the illusion of life, reminiscent of a zombie’s jerky motions.

Further investigation suggests that the meat in question may have originated from a frog, explaining its apparent vitality. The footage possibly depicts a practice known as ‘ikizukuri,’ where live seafood, and sometimes frogs, are prepared for consumption.

So, while the sight of “zombie” meat may have been alarming, it’s merely a result of natural processes and culinary practices. There’s no autonomy here, just the residual effects of life in a lifeless form—soon to be consumed and forgotten.