How Much Rat Poo Did You Eat Today?

According to the FDA's "Food Defect Action Levels" Guidelines, there are certain amounts of poo, bugs, maggots, etc in our food that are unavoidable and present no health hazards for humans.

Here's the disclosure from the FDA: 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.

I never really thought about what was in the pretty packages that we call food until I was about 6. I was helping my mom with the shopping and I picked up a pretty yellow package of "beef".

At the time we were living on the edge of San Jose, California with wide open fields all around us. We were the first ones to move into the precise little row of partially built homes leading straight to the foothills. Our favorite past time was running wild in the fields of mustard greens, dreaming up games to play and watching out for the farmer that shot rock salt at the kids. I knew what cows were. I had seen them up close.

With wide eyes I looked from the pretty pink ribbons in the package up to my mom's face,"Where does it come from?"
Looking down at the shopping list she replied, "Cows"
As my mom said the word I felt my stomach turning. I had seen the squirrels my dad brought home from hunting. I had helped clean them and turn them into dinner but not the moo cows. Dropping the package back into the big commercial fridge, I plopped down on the ground.
"No mom, not a moo cow"
"Rebekah Victoria get up off that filthy floor and put the package in the basket".
Our moo cow discussion was over.

One of the side effects of "processed" food - which is just about everything we eat - is poo, maggots, and bugs. If they aren't in the food to begin with, they get in the food while it is being processed, put into those pretty little packages and delivered to the store for our consumption.


So, the next time you pick up a pretty little package of food ask yourself one question: How much rat poo do you think is in there?