Guest guest Posted April 1, 2011 Report Share Posted April 1, 2011 ---- === The FDA has established guidelines for a number of contaminants that it will allow in our food supply. Mainstreet.com has assembled a list of some of the most common products for which the FDA has set contamination thresholds. Here's just a taste of what they found: Potato Chips The FDA only takes action when 6 percent or more of chips show rot from pre- or post-harvest infection. Tomatoes Acceptable levels of mold contamination go as low as 15 percent in canned tomatoes to as high as 45 percent for ketchup. And the FDA allows up to 30 fly eggs per every 100 grams of tomato sauces, or up to two maggots per every 100 grams of tomato juice. Raisins The FDA won't mandate action unless 10 or more whole or equivalent Drosophila flies and 35 of its eggs are found per 8 ounces of raisins. Macaroni To take action, the FDA must find either an average of 225 insect fragments per 225 grams in six sub-samples, or an average of 4.5 rodent hairs per 225 grams in six sub-samples. To learn more about what Mainstreet.com found, you can click on the link below. http://www.mainstreet.com/slideshow/lifestyle/food-drink/17-foods-scary-surp rises?cm_ven=outbrain & psv=outbrainselectedarticle & obref=obnetwork I'm absolute committed to growing my own nuts too. http://www.fda.gov/food/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/guidancedocu ments/sanitation/ucm056174.htm#intro ---------------------------------------------------------- ---- 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 ---------------------------------------------------------- ---- 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 ---------------------------------------------------------- ---- 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 --------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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