Insect Fragments in Food : Part 3

by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

(Page 3 of 3)

Exotic Bugs

The Los Angeles entomologists have discovered and named four new species of beetles and two new species of mites in imported foods. Olsen emphasizes that many food products from tropical areas are so different that they are not covered by standard AOAC methods.

According to Olsen, overseas manufacturing processes can be equally exotic. "This makes it necessary to modify extraction procedures to fit the problem. It is also necessary to be prepared for insect fragments that are far from commonplace," he points out.

On the other hand, Trauba is not concerned about these foreign insect fragments any more than he's concerned about domestic fragments. He says the real, everyday problems he's seen so far have been caused by common storage insects, found the world over.

Although it lacks overseas enforcement and inspection authority, FDA gives considerable attention to food imported from Asia and elsewhere. Trauba, for instance, and other FDA scientists are regularly updated on problem food imports by the agency. (See also "FDA Steps Up Import Safety Program" in the October 1992 issue of FDA Consumer.)

Friendly discussions with foreign governments and businesses are starting to pay off. According to Brickey, who serves as a FDA project officer working with the Philippine government, some exporters, tired of having their products detained on American docks, are cleaning up their acts.

"I go over to the Philippines at least once a year to talk to government officials, lab personnel, and industry to help them improve their sanitary conditions so they can get their product into our country. ... We've been somewhat successful. We've signed agreements with some countries.

"You now see more foreign products labeled 'for export,' or 'export quality only,' which means they've taken special care to meet our acceptance criteria. What they sell domestically is another thing."

Prevention at Home

Preventing contamination isn't neglected at home, either. Olsen, who works with a national pest control group, says, "I'm big on prevention. The ideal is not to have the problem in the first place."

Both Olsen and John Tisler, chief of the industry activities section at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, point out that the voluntary prevention programs only complement law enforcement.

Says Tisler: "FDA's philosophy as a regulatory agency is that the prime responsibility to assure a safe, wholesome product that is properly labeled belongs to the food firms. FDA's job is to evaluate how well the industry is meeting its responsibility and to take the necessary action to assure that the consumer receives only safe, legal products. Voluntary activities — industry initiating preventive or corrective actions — are a parallel course."

There's even a role for consumers. Complaints from the public are taken very seriously. The worst case of insect infestation Trauba ever saw was detected thanks to a tip from a Seattle woman who found an insect part in a can of nuts with a code next to the expiration date indicating that it had been packed in Minneapolis.

Fragment analysis strongly indicated that the insect part was not a chance occurrence — that the plant itself was contaminated. When they went to the plant, Trauba and the FDA inspectors found swarms and swarms of a number of different insects. They soon found the source: When the plant had discontinued making peanut butter and switched to producing canned nuts, the peanut butter assembly line was simply turned off. Open bottles and ingredients were left where they stood causing widespread contamination of everything in the plant. FDA took action, and the plant ultimately was closed.

About the Author

www.fda.gov
FDA is A United States government body that oversees medical devices, including contact lenses, intraocular lenses, excimer lasers and eyedrops. In the US, these products must be approved by the FDA before they can be marketed.