Filthy food

Healthy food might be the start of a clean slate, but it doesn’t always mean a clean plate.

As health-conscious consumers, many of us feel good about munching on fresh, crispy blackberries and other raw fruits and vegetables. But did you know that bag of blackberries could have up to an average of 10 whole insects or equivalent per 500 grams and still be acceptable to inspectors? If people were a little more aware as to how much contaminants are allowed to be in our food, it might make them look twice; and it definitely will encourage you to wash your food before you cook or eat it.

You may be surprised to learn the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows a certain amount of contaminants like bugs, mold, and feces in our produce. They even have a handbook, called the Defect Levels Handbook, which defines what is allowed before being considered unfit for consumption. While gross to think about, the FDA contends these defect levels do not pose health risks.

Up to 4% of cranberries and 15% of canned mushrooms can be rotten. Peanut butter can contain up to 30 or more insect fragments and 1 or more rodent hairs per 100 grams. Whole insects or their parts (heads, legs, etc.) are allowed in many foods up to certain averages, like 60 aphids per 100 grams of spinach. Processed foods may contain maggots of a certain size; for instance, tomato juice can have up to 5 fly eggs or 2 maggots per 100 grams. Potato chips can be up to 6% rotted. Feces from mammals like rodents, dogs, cats, etc., and can be present in small amounts such as an average of 2 feces pellets and hair fragments per 3.5 ounces of broccoli. Even your herbs aren’t pure: there can be an average of 925 or more insect fragments per 10 grams of ground thyme. Ground oregano can have up to 1,250 fragments per 10 grams of herb.

And there’s a lot more in the Defects Level Handbook, which is viewing at the following website without having to downloading any files: https://bit.ly/FDAdefects

The FDA sets these defect action levels to avoid pulling foods over what it considers to be unavoidable or harmless contaminants. The adage that, “a little extra protein never hurt anyone,” applies here. But the idea of consuming filth, even in small doses, is enough to make your stomach turn – and there are ways to avoid it.

Produce can pick up contaminants at many points from farm to table. Growing fields may be exposed to wild animals and insects. Processing facilities may have less-than-stellar sanitation. Even during transportation and storage, raw foods are vulnerable.

Washing fruits and veggies at home helps reduce risks, but it won't remove all lurking bacteria and gross stuff. Cooking kills more germs, but you lose nutrients when you heat or cook raw produce.

You may find yourself asking what a health-minded consumer is to do? We may just have to accept a little extra dirt in our diets. We can pressure the FDA to tighten standards and food companies to improve handling practices. We can also rinse produce in vinegar solutions which help kill germs.

Even better, grow your own produce in clean soil if you're able. Bon appétit!

Christian M. Hartley is a 40-year Alaskan resident with over 25 years of public safety experience and public service. He runs a freelance business, Big Lake Writer, from home in Big Lake that he shares with his wife of 19 years and their three teenage sons.