GET READY, ALABAMA, THIS IS SHOCKING.

To me, at least.

As heard on the Steve & DC Show, 95.3 The Bear....did you know there can be 450 insect parts and nine rodent hairs in every 16 oz. box of spaghetti?

Many believe that our food in the USA is sub-standard, compared to other countries in the world. Even more believe that standards in many southern states are worse when compared to northern and western states.
I spoke with a West Alabama resident for this story, John Matthews, who took a recent trip with his wife to France. Matthews told me,

'The food is fresher, more flavorful and so much less processed than the food in the USA. It's such a difference that I don't know if I can ever eat in America the same way again"

Strong words for a man from Alabama after a trip across the pond.

Back to this stuff allowed in our food, and the FDA claims that it's 'not possible' to remove all creatures/insects that might get a ride along the food processing chain, but the US Food and Drug Administration calls them "food defects" and has "standards" to keep them to a minimum.

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Many of your favorite foods may contain bits, parts and pieces of creatures that you probably didn't know were there.

Want some rodent dung in your waffles? Maggots in your barbecue sauce?

If you love candy bars, I better apologize now. That dark, delicious bar you love might contain 30 or more insect parts and a batch of rodent hair.

Financial considerations prohibit companies from growing or processing raw products that are totally free of non-hazardous, naturally occurring, unavoidable defects," says the US Food and Drug Administration.

I could not find any answers on the "organic" labeled items and how this impacts that category of food products. Here's a few food staples and what you might not know about them

 

COFFEE!

I LOVE AND LIVE on iced coffees! The coffee beans you, or the barista, are grinding for you are allowed by the FDA to have, on average, 10 milligrams or more animal poop per pound. As much as 4% to 6% of beans by count are also allowed to be insect-infested.

WHAT? Insect infested??? Lord help us.

BEVERAGE ANYONE?

Any Bloody Mary fans? Well, the tomato juice in one 14 oz. Bloody Mary COULD contain UP TO four maggots and 20 or more fruit fly eggs.

And be aware that the canned citrus juices that many Tuscaloosa bars use can legally have five or more fruit fly eggs or other fly eggs per cup (250 ml). ALSO, that cup of juice could contain one or more maggots.

BUT WAIT...THERE'S MORE!

 

As mentioned earlier, spaghetti can have 450 insect parts in every box that is 16 ounces. Mushrooms can have 20 or more maggots in 4 ounce cans.

Cans of corn, Asparagus, spinach, spices and so many other food products can contain 40 or more SCARY LOOKING "thrips". If those aren't around, watch out for aphids, mites, ants and the dreaded cockroach.

Cockroaches in the sink.
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I can't take anymore! So many of my favorite things are ruined. This will help me lose weight for sure. Sorry for having to be the bearer of bad news. However, I thought you need to know.

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