11 Totally Disgusting Things the FDA Allows In Your Food

Is he pooping in your food? (istockphoto)

(CBS) What could be finer than a little feces in your spices or a cigarette butt in your sandwich? Perhaps some rat hair in your peanut butter?

Sounds disgusting, but the Food and Drug Administration says that a certain amount of contamination is unavoidable in commercial food processing, so it allows for a small amount of "filth" before taking action.

PICTURES: 11 Revolting Things Government Lets in Your Food

What is filth, exactly?

The FDA handbook catchily called "Food Defect Action Levels: Levels of Natural or Unavoidable Defects in Foods That Present No Health Hazards for Humans," says that filth is "objectionable matter contributed by insects, rodents, and birds; decomposed material; and miscellaneous matter such as sand, soil, glass, rust, or other foreign substances."

Sounds good enough to eat.

In the booklet, the FDA writes that  "it is economically impractical to grow, harvest, or process raw products that are totally free of non-hazardous, naturally occurring, unavoidable defects."

Further, FDA spokesperson Ira R. Allen tells CBS News that the FDA "applies its resources to protect the safety of the American food supply based on risk assessments of health hazards."

The government sets "limits for naturally occurring contaminants that are unaesthetic but in most cases not hazards to public health," he says. "When these levels are exceeded, FDA can and will take regulatory action -- immediately if any disease-causing microbes are present."

Besides, some entomologists argue that some people consider insects a protein staple, if not a delicacy.

Yes, but cigarette butts?

PICTURES: 11 Revolting Things Government Lets in Your Food

12 Photos

11 Revolting Things Government Lets in Your Food

[kingstroke]

hello from norway

just wanted to say

this is sick

[BULLSTONE]

I have been fighting to have millions of pounds of contaminated meat recalled that was produced using a warehouse facility that makes the PBA facility look like the Ritz. The pictures I gave to the USDA and the FDA showed RAT fecal matter and rodents nests on food ingredients and materials, I submitted documents to the USDA proving the use of this contaminated warehouse for years and was denied a recall of my own products .Why ?to protect a State institution that was contracted to produce this meat for my company.
Agencies state the manufacturer must generate the recall and the FDA and USDA not having the authority to initiate this action as the reason bad food gets into the system .This is not so ,I am proof of this statement not being accurate. Even when the USDA went and found this contaminated warehouse with live rodents they never tested any product for salmonella and co-operated with the state of Florida to use possible contaminated ingredients in further meat processing.
I applaud your very fine story and comments and appeal to you to visit my blog site http://bullstone-larrym.blogspot.com/ and see the evidence of rat fecal contamination in meats produced by an instrument of the State of Florida department of Corrections. I have been battling with the USDA to issue a recall on the millions of pounds of meat the State of Florida produced under contract for my company. This meat was distributed nation wide to schools, supermarkets and institutions. When we discovered that this Florida State division was storing food supplies and edible ingredients in a rat infested warehouse we began our quest to get this information to the public and get accountability placed on those who allowed this to happen. When you read the information on my blog you will see the validity of both our stories .I support your efforts and request your support of mine. Regards Larry Stone