Can Eating Bugs in Rice Be Safe?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ouabache
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the safety and cultural perceptions of consuming rice that contains bugs, particularly weevils. Participants explore various viewpoints on the acceptability of eating insects, the prevalence of bugs in food supplies, and personal experiences with insect consumption.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that bugs are often an inevitable part of the food supply and may even be a source of protein.
  • Others express disgust at the idea of consuming insects, citing cultural aversions to eating bugs in Western societies.
  • A participant mentions specific FDA limits on the number of bugs allowed in food, indicating that the presence of bugs is not considered entirely unacceptable.
  • Concerns are raised about the implications of FDA limits, with some arguing that it suggests a tolerance for bugs in food products.
  • Personal anecdotes are shared about experiences with eating insects, including fried crickets and the discovery of bugs in stored food items.
  • Some participants discuss the practicality of removing bugs from food, such as soaking rice to float out weevils.
  • There is a mention of the risks associated with pesticides in food compared to the consumption of insects.
  • Participants share humorous takes on the social implications of eating insects, such as the potential for cricket legs to get stuck in teeth.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus; there are multiple competing views on the safety and acceptability of consuming bugs in food. Some find it acceptable and even tasty, while others are repulsed by the idea.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying levels of comfort with the presence of insects in food, influenced by cultural backgrounds and personal experiences. There are unresolved questions about the specific FDA limits and the implications of those limits on food safety.

  • #31
Ouabache said:
Finally got a chance to view this.. Mmmm boy, "hot and crispy" :biggrin: so they've been eating them like that for hundreds of years in Cambodia.

Although, I must admit I'd be at least a bit tempted to try one of these, since I'm afraid of spiders, and I guess eating one of them could somehow heal my phobia. :biggrin:

I've also heard they make some kind of spider liquor which truckers usually drink to keep them awake. Maybe we should substitute caffeine with tarantulas? :-p
 
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  • #32
I once found a whole head of a grasshopper in my lentils :biggrin: yumm
 
  • #33
Monique said:
I once found a whole head of a grasshopper in my lentils :biggrin: yumm

Yeah, and I bet the head had great existential thoughts at that time. :-p
 
  • #34
But what about a taste difference if you were frying the bug-infested rice or steaming it, or something? Would it be noticeable?
 
  • #35
A list of edible bugs with some recipes.

http://www.weird-food.com/weird-food-bugs.html
 
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  • #36
Mk said:
But what about a taste difference if you were frying the bug-infested rice or steaming it, or something? Would it be noticeable?
Hmmmm, maybe try both methods and see if you notice a difference. :smile:

Actually, I have had a similar experience with tiny beetles in my flour.. I froze the flour for several days, which killed the emerged larvae and adults. The eggs might have some overwintering protection, not sure.. Anyhow, I sifted out the bugs through a fine mesh screen and used the sifted flour in my banana bread. Bread tasted good,:-p I didn't notice any off flavors.

Evo that's a neat post of recipes!
 
  • #37
I'm interested in locusts.Heard that they are really good if prepeared properly.Anybody here tasted them?
 
  • #38
Not to gross anyone out, but if you eat fruit regularly, including fresh tomatoes, you are also eating fruit fly larvae and eggs. It's just the way things work. If you have a bowl of fruit on the counter and you notice a few fruit flies in your house, don't assume that mature fruit flies came in from outside because they heard you had some fruit hanging around. They came in with the fruit - they just weren't flies yet.:devil: :biggrin:
 
  • #39
Figs are laden with wasp larvae, some of which don't escape. There are ascarid worms that are fig wasp parasites, and they also stay behind in large numbers. When humans eat the fig, these leftovers are long dead.