A kashrus expert whom I observed doing a demonstration of bedikas tolaim a number of years ago showed that if you parboil broccoli, then slice open the florets, you will find (or hopefully, not find) blackened bugs (somewhat like sesame seeds). For this reason, he explained, fresh broccoli should never be used. Parboiling is required to see if those bugs are there. The bugs are large enough to be observed but their color makes them very difficult (though not impossible) to identify in fresh broccoli. It was my understanding that the kosher companies either provide a controlled environment or check in such a fashion that there is no mi’ut hamatzuy.
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