Are You Sure You Want Chocolate for Valentines Day? Read this!
By crazynurse
@crazynurse (7482)
United States
January 22, 2007 3:15pm CST
There will be millions of pounnds of chocolate sold in the next few weeks in preparation for Valentine's Day. Did you know that the FDA considers chocolate acceptable for public consumption as long as there are less than 60 microscopic insect fragments per 4 ounces? (size of an average candy bar) I heard this and thought it was one of those urban legends or a hoax so I did my own research. Here is a link to the FDA site complete with the standards. So, perhaps flowers are looking like a better idea for Valentine's Day?http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/cpg/cpgfod/cpg515-700.html
5 people like this
21 responses
@mari61960 (4893)
• United States
22 Jan 07
Yes it's true and totally disgusting when you think about it. But chocolate is only one of them..lol Here are a few more for us to ponder.
The FDA's action level for peanut butter is 30 or more insect fragments or one or more rodent hairs per 100 grams.
Wheat Flour, Insect filth: Average of 75 or more insect fragments per 50 grams
Rodent filth: Average of 1 or more rodent hairs per 50 grams
This one is really gross if you ask me !
RED FISH AND OCEAN PERCH, Parasites: 3% of the fillets examined contain 1 or more parasites accompanied by pus pockets
Apple butter Average of 5 or more whole or equivalent insects (not counting mites, aphids, thrips, or scale insects) per 100 grams of apple butter. A friend told me about the apple butter years ago. I haven't been able to eat it since. She worked in an apple warehouse and told me all kinds of horror stories. Hppy eating everyone...lol
@dreamsncharms (1340)
• United States
25 Jan 07
peanut butter? oh great.. that is what i will eat if there is no chocolate around and i am craving that. i wonder why they are making our food with bugs, rat tails and arent companies required by certain laws to list all ingrediants? maybe they do but have a scientific name for bug and rat tails. lol.
2 people like this
@mari61960 (4893)
• United States
22 Jan 07
I meant to add this link, if you scroll down it list all the foods and what is allowed in them.
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dalbook.html
2 people like this
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
23 Jan 07
OK, I may not have such a hard time afterall with my New Years Resolution to lose weight. This is just plain gross! Who can eat when they think about these things being in our food. Of course the fact that they haven't hurt us before now must mean that they are 'safe' levels. Ha!
2 people like this
@inked4life (4224)
• United States
1 Feb 07
I guess we know what the caramilk secret is now. I am a chocaholic and it's rather disturbing to know that there could be a full-fledged flea circus taking place in my stomach right now....YUCK!!
2 people like this
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
1 Feb 07
HaHaHa. As always inked, your response is hilarious! Enjoy your day.
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
1 Feb 07
HaHa. Actually, I was eating a piece of chocolate as I posted the discussion! How pathetic is that?!
@dreamsncharms (1340)
• United States
25 Jan 07
OMG.. I am almost speechless.. almost.. haha There was somethin about a rodent hair in there too. What the heck? Why would these things be in chocolate or anything else? I need to find a new craving for PMS. I will not be eating chocolate again any time soon...
2 people like this
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
22 Jan 07
Get post, interesting. Will check this out for sure. I like the flowers better anyway. However, a card is more than sufficent for my husband and me.
1 person likes this
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
23 Jan 07
Yeah. I am trying to drop a few pounds so I don't need the chocolate either. I will likely make my hubby the low cal raspberry cake. Flowers are wonderful, but so darned expensive! I will settle for some cuddling in front of the fire!
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
24 Jan 07
Tomorrow is my birthday. Then my hubbies birthday and then Valentines. Because of our situation, which you know what it is, we will just be happy to be alive and with one another as healthy as we can be. We will be thankful for what we do have, and only dwell on that. I am an artist, so I will beable to make him a lovely card. Baking is also out this year. Enjoy your day with him dear.
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
25 Jan 07
Margieanne, I have spent a lot of time today going back to review posts. I just got to this one, and found your response! Happy Birthday!
@chaygylmommy (2470)
• United States
25 Jan 07
YUCK YUCK YUCK! How disgusting! You know, if we all did some research about the standards and guidelines for a lot of foods, we would probably not eat hardly anything. LOL This is really growss!
1 person likes this
@wmg2006 (5381)
• United States
22 Jan 07
I never like to get chocolates for any ocassion. I would much rather have a plant, flowers, or even a balloon. All chocolate does for me is makes me fat. LOL Actually I don't like chococlate so much. I would rather have cinnamon or butterscotch than chocolate.
1 person likes this
@vintage_blowout (277)
• Philippines
2 Feb 07
Interesting post. I like receiving flowers over chocolates, anyway. I love chocolates but I can buy them for me anytime. It's kinda weird buying flowers for yourself, right? :)
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
1 Feb 07
There was a book out in the early 70's called 'The Rape of the Ape' It went into things like that. Over all was an amusing book, but long out of print.
We don't do chocolate.
What I will get is fresh strawberries, then we dip them in sf chocolate pudding. A bit healthier and cheaper then the 20 odd dollars they sell 1/2 dozen dipped strawberries for at Gertrude hawk.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
1 Feb 07
As for the above comments...the FDA is quite liberal in all food preparation, not just chocolate.
Never eat hot dogs or sausage if you are smart.
@madtownsweety (418)
• United States
7 Feb 07
EEEEWWW thats gross. Yes I believe you are right flowers are looking really good right about now which is sad because I really wanted some chocolate covered strawberries too :o(
@moonblade34 (15)
• United States
2 Feb 07
I had no idea about the bugs in chocolate, this totally rerouts my idea about the monthly blues and my chocolate intake.
Thanks for the information.
@saphire539 (1639)
• United States
25 Jan 07
My husband never gets me anything for valentines day i would like flowers or something even a card would make me happy.
@ronita34 (3922)
• Canada
25 Jan 07
wow...this is quite interesting and thank you for sharing this. I always seem to be single though on Valentine's day and i was never much into this day so i am not enormously concerened!!
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
2 Feb 07
I actually knew about the insect thing. It grosses me out, but yet I just can't stop eating chocolate regardless of what goes into it. It's just too darn good. I don't get chocolate on VDay anyway. I usually get a card or something of the sort.
