FDA's Most Wanted Flies
G.C. Ziobro, CFSAN, FDA, College Park, MD
Wanted posters for the following twelve species of flies will be displayed for:
House fly [Musca domestica L.], Stable fly [Stomoxys calcitrans (L.)], Little house fly [Fannia canicularis (L.)], Latrine fly [Fannia scalaris (Fabricius)], Cosmopolitan blue bottle fly [Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy], Holarctic blue bottle fly [Calliphora vomitoria (L.)], Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius) [Secondary screwworm], Oriental latrine fly [Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius)], Blue bottle fly Cynomyopsis cadaverina [Robineau-Desvoidy], Green bottle fly [Phaenicia sericata (Meigen)], Black blow fly [Phormia regina (Meigen)], and the Redtailed flesh fly [Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis (Fallen)].
These species are known carriers of human pathogenic diseases. They make up over half of the known vectors of insanitation of concern to the Agency. The presence of any of these species in an FDA regulated facility may lead to a 402(a)(4) charge, "adulterated [because] it has been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with filth, or whereby it may have been rendered injurious to health." In order to initiate enforcement actions, the presence of these insects must be confirmed through the collection of specimens both inside and outside the facility, direct observations made of their landing on product, their means of entering and existing the facility noted, their movements from outside to inside and vice versa directly observed, and the lab identify the collected samples to the species level using the appropriate taxonomic keys.