FDA: Pest Parts, Not Pesticides, Acceptable in Food Supply

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June 9, 2015

As a pest management professional, you probably don’t consider insects and rodents creepy. After all, you’ve seen your share of phorid flies, black widow spiders, rats and big headed ants. But would you feel the same knowing rodent and bug body parts are in your food? Live Science reports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration‘s Defect Levels Handbook allows “acceptable” amounts of insects and animal parts in the U.S. food supply because they are “naturally occurring, unavoidable defects” that do not harm consumers. A quick check of the guide reveals ground nutmeg is permitted “1 or more rodent hairs per 10 grams” and tomato puree can have “10 or more [Drosophila] fly eggs and 1 or more maggots per 100 grams.” The Handbook explains the source of the defect, so take comfort in knowing the thrips in your sauerkraut were on the cabbage before it was harvested. The article goes on to say it helps to think of these additives — for lack of a better word — as defects that will not make you sick (if you don’t think about it too much, that is), unlike avoidable “food contaminants…like pesticides, metals (such as mercury and arsenic) or environmental chemicals like PCBs” that can cause serious illness. So be thankful we’re eating the insects and not the insecticide.

 

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  1. Glenn says:

    personally I don’t want any rats hairs, or fly larva in my food.