As a food safety expert, I can tell you that the presence of insects in food is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. The FDA has established what are known as "Defect Levels," which are the maximum number of natural but unavoidable defects in food that present no health hazard. These levels vary by food type and are set to be realistic and practical, considering the nature of the food and the technology used to process it.

For example, it's not uncommon to find a certain number of insect parts in canned fruits, vegetables, and spices. The FDA allows an average of 1 or 2 insect heads in a 100-gram sample of canned mushrooms, and up to 225 insect fragments in a 6-ounce jar of peanut butter. These numbers might sound surprising, but they are considered safe and are part of the natural process of growing and processing food.

It's important to note that these defect levels are not a quality standard but rather a guideline to manage unavoidable defects. The food industry strives to produce the cleanest and highest quality products possible, and the presence of insects or parts thereof is not indicative of poor manufacturing practices.

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The handbook allows for up to 13 ��fragments�� of rodent excreta in a 24-ounce container. The government permits three maggots in your 28-ounce can of tomatoes. In a regular-sized 16-ounce jar of peanut butter, the FDA will allow up to 136 insect fragments and four rodent hairs.read more >>