Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal
Eric Schlosser

Order Document:
Food Defects Action Levels List
Source: U.S. FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition 1998

Rationale: This list is an example of corporate influence over matters of public health policy. It answers the question of “what’s in the food?”

The Food Defect Action Levels of natural or unavoidable defects in foods that present no health hazards for humans

FISH, FRESH OR FROZEN
Decomposition: Decomposition in 5% or more of the fish (or
fillets) show Class 3 decomposition over at least 25% of their areas in 2 or more subsamples

CORNMEAL
Insects: Average of 1 or more whole insects (or
equivalent) per 50 grams Rodent filth, Average of 1 or more rodent excreta fragment per 50 grams

EGGS AND OTHER EGG PRODUCTS, FROZEN
Decomposition 2 or more cans decomposed…have direct microscopic counts of 5 million or more bacteria per gram

MUSHROOMS, CANNED and DRIED
Insects Average of over 20 or more maggots of any size per 100 grams

PEANUT BUTTER
Insect filth Average of 30 or more insect fragments per 100 grams
Rodent filth Average of 1 or more rodent hairs per 100 grams

POPCORN
Rodent filth Rodent hairs are found in 32 or more other subsamples

TOMATO PASTE, PIZZA AND OTHER SAUCES
Drosophila fly Average of 30 or more fly eggs per 100 grams OR 15 or more fly eggs and 1 or more maggots per 100 grams OR 2 or more maggots per 100 grams in a minimum of 12 subsamples

 

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