This is the last thing you want to happen when you sit down to quickly eat lunch at your desk.

This IT worker from Gosford on New South Wales' central coast and his colleagues got an unexpected start when the man's lunch bowl literally disintegrated before his eyes just after he placed it down on his desk.

View photos Step one: Eat lunch. Photo: Screenshot More

The loud pop that issued forth from the exploding meal was enough to draw out colleagues, who can be seen on security cameras leaping to their feet to investigate the noise.

For his part, the hungry worker appeared largely unfazed, aside from a slight jolt when the bowl disintegrated.

But while it looks dangerous, there was probably little risk to the man's safety.

View photos Step two: Ponder what happened. Photo: Screenshot More

Tempered glass, the material from which the bowl was made, has been known to shatter randomly in the past. It may be a frightening sight and sound, but the shards do not pose the same risks that can accompany the breaking of untempered glass.

The manufacturing process, which involves the repeated heating and cooling of the glass, can sometimes lead to flaws which can leave the products vulnerable to random disintegration.

View photos Step three: Check surrounding area and ponder some more. Photo: Screenshot More

But the resulting glass shards are do not have the dangerous sharp edges that can be found in traditional glass.

So for this worker, at least, the only major problem his self-destructing meal caused was likely a rumbling stomach for the rest of the day.

News break - September 10