Inspectors found salmonella on ginger and poppy seed from India, black pepper and red pepper from Japan and allspice from Turkey.About 12% of spices imported into the U.S. each year is contaminated with insects, animal excrement, rodent hair and even rubber bands, according to a Food and Drug Administration draft report released Wednesday.The study was conducted in response to recent cases of salmonella found in imported spices. It looked at ways to reduce the rates of human illness caused by contamination in the seasonings."Nearly all of the insects found in spice samples were stored product pests, indicating inadequate packing or storage conditions. The presence of rodent hair (without a root) in spices is generally indicative of contamination by rodent feces," the report said .
http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-20131030-fda-spices,0,5047542.story#axzz2jG52XNYk
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