ABSTRACT
The US Food and Drug Administration and similar agencies that regulate food sanitation operate like other enforcement agencies in gathering and developing good forensic evidence to prove violations of the laws that an agency is mandated to enforce. An eyewitness sighting is one of the best pieces of evidence of rodent infestation. Because rodents are generally nocturnal in nature and very shy, the investigator must be alert to any signs of rodents. There are a number of critical pieces of insect evidence that can be pieced together so that the court has a clear picture as to the insanitary condition under which a food product was held, prepared or packed. The microanalytical entomology laboratory is probably one of the most important links in evidence development. Laboratory scientists provide scientific support by testing and examining the evidence collected by the investigator during an inspection.
