If you know this was in your food, would you eat it?
Guess how many roaches are in your food each day!
When the waiter brings me food I make sure to tell them to not add insect larva or MSG.
Insects' "head capsules" are often more durable than their bodies. "This is especially common with larvae and caterpillars, where the body parts are soft and really get messed up" in the milling process. In other words, the bodies are in the food too, they're just not countable.
You will be shocked at what the government allows after reading this!
INTRODUCTION
Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 110.110 allows the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish maximum levels of natural or unavoidable defects in foods for human use that present no health hazard. These "Food Defect Action Levels" listed in this booklet are set on this premise--that they pose no inherent hazard to health.
Poor manufacturing practices may result in enforcement action without regard to the action level. Likewise, the mixing of blending of food with a defect at or above the current defect action level with another lot of the same or another food is not permitted. That practice renders the final food unlawful regardless of the defect level of the finished food.
The FDA set these action levels because it is economically impractical to grow, harvest, or process raw products that are totally free of non-hazardous, naturally occurring, unavoidable defects. Products harmful to consumers are subject to regulatory action whether or not they exceed the action levels.
It is incorrect to assume that because the FDA has an established defect action level for a food commodity, the food manufacturer need only stay just below that level. The defect levels do no represent an average of the defects that occur in any of the products--the averages are actually much lower. The levels represent limits at which FDA will regard the food product "adulterated"; and subject to enforcement action under Section 402(a)(3) of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act.
As technology improves, the FDA may review and change defect action levels on this list. Also, products may be added to the list. The FDA publishes these revisions as Notices in the Federal Register. It is the responsibility of the user of this booklet to stay current with any changes to this list.
PRODUCTS WITHOUT DEFECT LEVELS
If there is no defect action level for a product, or when findings show levels or types of defects that do not appear to fit the action level criteria, FDA evaluates the samples and decides on a case-by-case basis. In this procedure, FDA's technical and regulatory experts in filth and extraneous materials use a variety of criteria, often in combination, in determining the significance and regulatory impact of the findings.
The criteria considered is based on the reported findings (e.g., lengths of hairs, sizes of insect fragments, distribution of filth in the sample, and combinations of filth types found). Moreover, FDA interprets the findings considering available scientific information (e.g., ecology of animal species represented) and the knowledge of how a product is grown, harvested, and processed.
USE OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES TO ELIMINATE DEFECT LEVELS
It is FDA's position that pesticides are not the alternative to preventing food defects. The use of chemical substances to control insects, rodents and other natural contaminants has little, if any impact on natural and unavoidable defects in foods. The primary use of pesticides in the field is to protect food plants from being ravaged by destructive plant pests (leaf feeders, stem borers, etc.).
A secondary use of pesticides is for cosmetic purposes--to prevent some food products from becoming so severely damaged by pests that it becomes unfit to eat.
GLOSSARY
ABUSE Improper handling.
AESTHETIC Offensive to the senses.
CONTAMINATION Addition of foreign material, (e.g., dirt, hair, excreta, non-invasive insects, machinery mold) to a product.
COPEPODS Small free-swimming marine crustaceans, many of which are fish parasites. In some species the females enter the tissues of the host fish and may form pus pockets.
DAMAGE Refers to the condition of the product which shows the evidence of the pest habitation or feeding, (e.g., tunneling, gnawing, egg cases, etc.).
DECOMPOSED Consists of the bacterial breakdown of the normal product tissues and the subsequent enzyme induced chemical changes. These changes are manifested by abnormal odors, taste, texture, color, etc.
DECOMPOSITION METABOLITES Compounds such as histamines and diamines etc.
ECONOMIC ADULTERATION Intentional failure to remove inedible materials from the finished product, or the intentional addition or substitution of cheaper food or ingredient to a product.
EXTRANEOUS MATERIALS Any foreign matter in a product associated with objectionable conditions or practices in production, storage, or distribution. Includes: objectionable matter contributed by insects, rodents, and birds; decomposed material; and miscellaneous matter such as sand, soil, glass, rust, or other foreign substances.
FOREIGN MATTER Includes objectionable matter such as sticks, stones, burlap bagging, cigarette butts, etc. Also includes the valueless parts of the raw plant material, such as stems.
GUMMY A resinous glaze on an almond kernel that is induced by an insect injury or mechanical damage.
HARVEST occurs during the harvesting process.
HISTAMINE A chemical compound formed by the bacterial decomposition of seafood.
INDOLE A chemical compound formed by the bacterial decomposition of seafood.
INFECTION A condition due to the growth of an organism in a host, (e.g., rot or decay, visible mold mycelia).
INFESTATION The presence of any live or dead life cycle stages of insects in a host product, (e.g., weevils in pecans, fly eggs and maggots in tomato products); or evidence of their presence (i.e., excreta, cast skins, chewed product residues, urine, etc.); or the establishment of an active breeding population, (e.g., rodents in a grain silo).
MILDEW Refers to downy mildew which is a fungus infection that causes yellow-brown spots on the leaves of edible greens in the mustard family.
MOLD COUNT Refers to the results of the Howard mold count method which is reported as the percentage of positive microscopic fields that have been scored as either positive or negative based on the presence or absence of a minimum amount of mold hyphae. Performed only on comminuted fruits and vegetables, and some ground spices. The source of the mold hyphae is rotten raw material that is processed along with sound raw material but is no longer visible due to the comminution process.
MOLDY Evidenced by the presence of mold (mold hyphae and/or spore forming structures) that are visible to the unaided eye. Microscopic examination may be used to confirm the presence of characteristic hyphal filaments and fruiting structures.
POST HARVEST occurs after harvest, for example: - field holding of the harvested crop prior to transit
- farm storage of harvested crop
- during transit by truck, ship, rail, etc.
- at the processing facility, awaiting processing or proper storage
PREHARVEST occurs while product is in the field, during growth or awaiting harvest.
PROCESSING occurs while in the processing facility, in storage or during processing
RANCID A condition where a product has a disagreable odor or taste of decomposed oils or fat. For example, rancid nuts frequently are soft, with a yellow, dark, or oily appearance, a bitter taste and a stale odor.
ROT Plant tissue that is visibly decomposed, usually discolored with disagreeable odors and taste. The plant tissue has been invaded and is being digested by microorganisms. Although rot can also be caused by bacteria and yeasts, these organisms are secondary invaders. Molds are the primary organisms of decomposition and the presence of mold hyphae in the tissue is used to confirm rot.
SHRIVELED A condition where the nut kernel is shrunken and not fully developed, commonly a result of climatic stress or infection by certain molds.
SIGNIFICANCE OF DEFECT Refers to the real or potential impact on the consumer due to the presence of a particular defect. A listed defect can have more than one significance to the consumer (e.g., the mold defect of whole cassia has an aesthetic significance, whereas the mold defect of green coffee beans has a potential health hazard significance due to the threat of mold toxins produced by the mold species known to infect coffee beans).
SOUR In fruits, consists of the bacterial breakdown of the product and the formation of lactic acid and subsequent sour taste.
WATER INSOLUBLE INORGANIC MATTER A contaminant of the finished product that consists of fine grit that originates from the sand, dirt, and stones that contaminate the raw agricultural product at the time of harvest.
WHOLE OR EQUIVALENT INSECT A whole insect, separate head, or body portions with head attached.
WORTHLESS Any condition where the product has been affected by organisms or the environment that it has no food value.
COMMODITIES AND DEFECT ACTION LEVELS
Product DEFECT
(Method) Action Level
| ALLSPICE, GROUND | Insect Filth
(AOAC 981.21) | Average of 30 or more insect fragments per 10 grams |
| | Rodent filth
(AOAC 981.21) | Average of 1 or more rodent hairs per 10 grams |
DEFECT SOURCE: Insect fragments - pre/post harvest and processing insect infestation. Rodent hair - post harvest and/or processing contamination with animal hair or excreta
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| ALLSPICE, WHOLE | Mold
(MPM-V32) | Average of 5% or more berries by weight are moldy |
DEFECT SOURCE: : Preharvest and/or post harvest infection
SIGNIFICANCE: Potential health hazard - may contain mycotoxin producing fungi
| APPLE BUTTER | Mold
(AOAC 975.51) | Average of mold count is 12% or more |
| | Rodent filth
(AOAC 945.76) | Average of 4 or more rodent hairs per 100 grams of apple butter |
| | Insects
(AOAC 945.76) | Average of 5 or more whole or equivalent insects (not counting mites, aphids, thrips, or scale insects) per 100 grams of apple butter |
DEFECT SOURCE: Mold - post harvest infection. Rodent hair - post harvest and/or processing contamination with animal hair. Whole or equivalent insects - preharvest, and/or post harvest and/or processing insect infestation,
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| APRICOTS, CANNED | Insect filth
(MPM-V51) | Average of 2% or more by count has been damaged or infected by insects |
DEFECT SOURCE: Pre-harvest insect infestation
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| ASPARAGUS, CANNED OR FROZEN | Insect filth
(MPM-V93) | 10% by count of spears or pieces are infested with 6 or more attached asparagus beetle eggs and/or sacs |
| | Insects
(MPM-V93) | Asparagus contains an average of 40 or more thrips per 100 grams
OR
Insects (whole or equivalent) of 3mm or longer have an average aggregate length of 7mm or longer per 100 grams of asparagus |
DEFECT SOURCE: Pre-harvest insect infestation
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| BAY (LAUREL) LEAVES | Mold
(MPM-V32) * | Average of 5% or more pieces by weight are moldy |
| | Insect filth
(MPM-V32) | Average of 5% or more pieces by weight are insect-infested |
| | Mammalian excreta
(MPM-V32) | Average of 1 mg or more mammalian excreta per pound after processing |
DEFECT SOURCE: Mold - preharvest infection. Insect infestation - preharvest and/or post harvest and/or processing insect infestation. Mammalian excreta - post harvest and/or processing animal contamination
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| BEETS, CANNED | Rot | Average of 5% or more pieces by weight with dry rot |
DEFECT SOURCE: Preharvest mold infection
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| BERRIES |
| Drupelet, Canned and Frozen (blackberries, raspberries, etc.) | Mold
(AOAC 955.47) | Average mold count is 60% or more |
| | Insects and larvae
(AOAC 981.20) | Average of 4 or more larvae per 500 grams
OR
Average of 10 or more whole insects or equivalent per 500 grams (excluding thrips, aphids and mites) |
DEFECT SOURCE: Insects and larvae - preharvest insect infestation. Mold - post harvest infection
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| Lingon, Canned (European cranberry) | Insect larvae
(MPM-V64) | Average of 3 or more larvae per pound in a minimum of 12 subsamples |
DEFECT SOURCE: Insects-pre-harvest insect infestation
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| Multer, Canned | Insects
(MPM-V64) | Average of 40 or more thrips per No.2 can in all subsamples and 20% of subsamples are materially infested |
DEFECT SOURCE: Insects-pre-harvest insect infestation
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| BROCCOLI, FROZEN | Insects and mites
(AOAC 945.82) | Average of 60 or more aphids and/or thrips and/or mites per 100 grams |
DEFECT SOURCE: Pre-harvest insect infestation
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| BRUSSELS SPROUTS, FROZEN | Insects
(MPM-V95) | Average of 30 or more aphids and/or thrips per 100 grams |
DEFECT SOURCE: Pre-harvest insect infestation
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| CAPSICUM: | | |
| Pods | Insect filth and/or mold
(MPM-V32) | Average of more than 3% of pods by weight are insect-infested and/or moldy |
| | Mammalian excreta
(MPM-V32) | Average of more than 1mg mammalian excreta per pound |
DEFECT SOURCE: Insect infested - preharvest and/or post harvest insect infestation. Mold - preharvest and/or post harvest infection, Mammalian excreta - post harvest and/or processing animal contamination
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic, Potential health hazard - mold may contain mycotoxin producing fungi
| Ground Capsicum (excluding paprika) | Mold
(AOAC 945.94) | Average mold count is more than 20% |
| | Insect filth
(AOAC 978.22) | Average of more than 50 insect fragments per 25 grams |
| | Rodent filth
(AOAC 978.22) | Average of more than 6 rodent hairs per 25 grams |
DEFECT SOURCE: Mold - pre-harvest and/or post harvest mold infection. Insect fragments - pre-harvest and/or post harvest and/or processing insect infestation. Rodent hair - pre-harvest and/or post harvest and/or processing contamination with animal hair or excreta
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic, Mold may contain mycotoxin producing fungi
| Ground Paprika | Mold
(AOAC 945.94) | Average mold count is more than 20% |
| | Insect filth
(AOAC 977.25B) | Average of more than 75 insect fragments per 25 grams |
| | Rodent filth
(AOAC 977.25B) | Average of more than 11 rodent hairs per 25 grams |
DEFECT SOURCE: Mold - pre and/or post harvest mold infection. Insect fragments - pre and/or post harvest and/or processing insect infestation. Rodent hair - pre and/or post harvest and/or processing contamination with animal hair or excreta
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic, Potential health hazard - mold may contain mycotoxin producing fungi
| CASSIA (OR) CINNAMON BARK, WHOLE | Mold
(MPM-V32) | Average of 5% or more pieces by weight are moldy |
| | Insect filth
(MPM-V32) | Average of 5% or more pieces by weight are insect-infested |
| | Mammalian excreta
(MPM-V32) | Average of 1 mg or more mammalian excreta per pound |
DEFECT SOURCE: Mold - post harvest mold infection. Insect infestation - post harvest and/or processing. Mammalian excreta - post harvest and/or processing animal contamination.
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| CINNAMON, GROUND | Insect filth
(AOAC 968.38b) | Average of 400 or more insect fragments per 50 gram |
| | Rodent filth
(AOAC 968.38b) | Average of 11 or more rodent hairs per 50 grams |
DEFECT SOURCE: Insect fragments - post harvest and/or processing insect infestation. Rodent hair - post harvest and/or processing contamination with animal hair or excreta
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| CHERRIES | | |
| Brined and Maraschino | Insect filth
(MPM-V48) | Average of 5% or more pieces are rejects due to maggots |
DEFECT SOURCE: Pre-harvest insect infestation
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| Fresh, Canned, or Frozen | Rot
(MPM-V48) | Average of 7% or more pieces are rejects due to rot |
| | Insect filth
(MPM-V48) | Average of 4% or more pieces are rejects due to insects other than maggots |
DEFECT SOURCE: Insect reject - Pre-harvest and/or post harvest insect infestation, Rot reject - pre-harvest mold infection
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| CHERRY JAM | Mold
(MPM-V61) | Average mold count is 30% or more |
DEFECT SOURCE: Pre-harvest mold infection
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| CHOCOLATE AND CHOCOLATE LIQUOR | Insect filth
(AOAC 965.38) | Average is 60 or more insect fragments per 100 grams when 6 100-gram subsamples are examined
OR
Any 1 subsample contains 90 or more insect fragments |
| | Rodent filth
(AOAC 965.38) | Average is 1 or more rodent hairs per 100 grams in 6 100-gram subsamples examined
OR
Any 1 subsample contains 3 or more rodent hairs |
| | Shell
(AOAC 968.10-970.23) | For chocolate liquor, if the shell is in excess of 2% calculated on the basis of alkali-free nibs |
DEFECT SOURCE: Insect fragments - post harvest and/or processing insect infestation, Rodent hair - post harvest and/or processing contamination with animal hair or excreta, Shell - processing contamination
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| CITRUS FRUIT JUICES, CANNED | Mold
(AOAC 970.75) | Average mold count is 10% or more |
| | Insects and insect eggs
(AOAC 970.72) | 5 or more Drosophila and other fly eggs per 250 ml or 1 or more maggots per 250 ml |
DEFECT SOURCE: Mold - processing contamination, Fly eggs and/or maggots - post harvest insect infestation
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| CLOVES | Stems
(MPM-V32) | Average of 5% or more stems by weight |
DEFECT SOURCE: Harvest
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic, economic adulteration
| COCOA BEANS | Mold
(MPM-V18) | More than 4% of beans by count are moldy |
| | Insect filth
(MPM-V18) | More than 4% of beans by count are insect-infested including insect-damaged |
| | Insect filth and/or mold | More than 6% of beans by count are insect-infested or moldy
NOTE: Level differs when both filth and mold are present |
| | Mammalian excreta
(MPM-V18) | Average of 10 mg or more mammalian excreta per pound |
DEFECT SOURCE: Mold - post harvest infection, Insect infested/damaged - post harvest and/or processing insect infestation, Mammalian excreta - post harvest and/or processing animal contamination
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic, Potential health hazard - may contain mycotoxin producing fungi
| COCOA POWDER PRESS CAKE | Insect filth
(AOAC 965.38) | Average of 75 or more insect fragments per subsample of 50 grams when 6 subsamples are examined
OR
Any 1 subsample contains 125 or more insect fragments |
| | Rodent filth
(AOAC 965.38) | Average in 6 or more subsamples is 2 or more rodent hairs per subsample of 50 grams
OR
Any 1 subsample contains 4 or more rodent hairs |
| | Shell
(AOAC 968.10-970.23) | 2% or more shell calculated on the basis of alkali-free nibs. |
DEFECT SOURCE: Insect fragments - post harvest and/or processing insect infestation, Rodent hair - post harvest and/or processing contamination with animal hair or excreta, Shell - processing contamination
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| COFFEE BEANS, GRADED GREEN | Grade defects
(MPM-V6) | Beans are poorer than Grade 8 of the New York Green Coffee Association |
DEFECT SOURCE: Quality - processing
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic, economic adulteration
DEFECT SOURCE: Insect infested/damaged - preharvest and/or post harvest and/or processing insect infestation, Mold - post harvest and/or processing infection
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic, Potential health hazard - mold may contain mycotoxin producing fungi
| CONDIMENTAL SEEDS OTHER THAN FENNEL SEEDS AND SESAME SEEDS | Mammalian excreta
(MPM-V32) | Average of 3 mg or more of mammalian excreta per pound |
DEFECT SOURCE: Post harvest and/or processing animal contamination
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| CORN: SWEET CORN, CANNED | Insect larvae
(AOAC 973.61) | Insect larvae (corn ear worms, corn borers) 2 or more 3mm or longer larvae, cast skins, larval or cast skin fragments of corn ear worms or corn borer and the aggregate length of such larvae, cast skins, larval or cast skin fragments exceeds 12 mm in 24 pounds (24 No. 303 cans or equivalent) |
DEFECT SOURCE: Pre-harvest insect infestation
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| CORN HUSKS FOR TAMALES | Insect filth
(MPM-V115) | Average of 5 % or more husks by weight are insect-infested (including insect-damaged) |
| | Mold
(MPM-V115) | Average of 5% or more husks by weight are moldy |
DEFECT SOURCE: Insect infested - preharvest and/or processing insect infestation, Mold - preharvest and/or post harvest and/or processing infection
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| CORNMEAL | Insects
(AOAC 981.19) | Average of 1 or more whole insects (or equivalent) per 50 grams |
| | Insect filth
(AOAC 981.19) | Average of 25 or more insect fragments per 25 grams |
| | Rodent filth
(AOAC 981.19) | Average of 1 or more rodent hairs per 25 grams
OR
Average of 1 or more rodent excreta fragment per 50 grams |
DEFECT SOURCE: Insects and insect fragments - preharvest and/or post harvest and/or processing insect infestation, Rodent hair and excreta fragments - post harvest and/or processing contamination with animal hair or excreta
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| CRANBERRY SAUCE | Mold
(AOAC 970.76) | Average mold count is more than 15%
OR
The mold count of any 1 subsample is more than 50% |
DEFECT SOURCE: Pre-harvest and/or post harvest infection
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| CUMIN SEED | Sand and grit
(AOAC 975.48) | Average of 9.5% or more ash and/or 1.5% or more acid insoluble ash |
DEFECT SOURCE: Harvest contamination
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| CURRANT JAM, BLACK | Mold
(MPM-V61) | Average mold count is 75% or more |
DEFECT SOURCE: Post harvest and/or processing infection
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| CURRANTS | Insect filth
(MPM-V53) | 5% or more, by count, wormy in the average of the subsamples |
DEFECT SOURCE: Pre-harvest insect infestation
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
| CURRY POWDER | Insect filth
(AOAC 975.48) | Average of 100 or more insect fragments per 25 grams |
| | Rodent filth
(AOAC 975.48) | Average of 4 or more rodent hairs per 25 grams |
DEFECT SOURCE: Insect fragments - preharvest and/or post harvest and/or processing insect infestation, Rodent hair - post harvest and/or processing contamination with animal hair or excreta
SIGNIFICANCE: Aesthetic
DEFECT
(Method)
Action Level
| DATE MATERIAL (CHOPPED, SLICED, (OR) MACERATED) | Insects
(MPM-V53) | 10 or more dead insects (whole or equivalent) in 1 or more subsamples
OR
5 or more dead insects (whole or equivalent) per 100 grams |
| | Pits
(MPM-V53) | 2 or more pits and/or pit fragments 2 mm or longer measured in the longest dimension per 900 grams |
DEFECT SOURCE: Insects - preharvest and/or post harvest and/or processing insect infestation, Pits - processing
SIGNIFICANCE: Insects - Aesthetic, Pits - mouth/tooth injury
| DATES, PITTED | Multiple
(MPM-V53) | Average of 5% or more dates by count are rejects (moldy, dead insects, insect excreta, sour, dirty, and/or worthless) as determined by macroscopic sequential examination |
| | Pits
(MPM-V53) | Average of 2 or more pits and/or pit fragments 2 mm or longer in the longest dimension per 100 dates |
DEFECT SOURCE: Insects, insect excreta, & mold - preharvest and/or post harvest and/or processing, Sour & worthless - preharvest, Dirt - harvest contamination, Pits - processing
SIGNIFICANCE: Insects, insect excreta, mold, sour & worthless, dirt - Aesthetic, Pits - mouth/tooth injury
