Natural (Yuck!)Ingredients

By DAVID ELLIS/

Americans have gone gaga for natural foods, but do they really know what they're getting? Some answers can be found in the FDA's updated Food Defect Action Levels list, which indicates limits for "natural or unavoidable" substances in processed food. While people might blanch at eating insects and | their excreta, many entomologists insist that the only harm is psychological. Some even contend that the government should allow more bugs in food so that crops can be grown with fewer pesticides.

Food

TOMATOES

Limit

An average of two maggots per 500 g (or 17 1/2-oz. can)

Food

GOLDEN RAISINS

Limit

35 fruit fly eggs per 8 oz.

Food

POTATO CHIPS

Limit

Average of 6% of pieces, by weight, showing rot

Food

GREEN COFFEE BEANS

Limit

One live insect in each of two containers or two dead bugs per five containers

Food

CHOCOLATE

Limit

One rodent hair per 100 g (one large candy bar)

Food

PEACHES

Limit

3% moldy or wormy, by count (frozen or canned)

Food

MUSHROOMS

Limit

20 maggots per 100 g (3.5-oz. can)

Food

Whole Pepper

Limit

1% mammalian excreta per lb., on average

With reporting by Sidney Urquhart