{"id":2011,"date":"2022-09-13T09:49:11","date_gmt":"2022-09-13T09:49:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pestqueen.com\/?p=2011"},"modified":"2022-09-13T22:14:29","modified_gmt":"2022-09-13T22:14:29","slug":"can-you-eat-fruit-flies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pestqueen.com\/can-you-eat-fruit-flies\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Eat Fruit Flies? What About Their Eggs?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019ve ever seen little bugs flying around an overripe banana in the fruit bowl<\/a>, they\u2019re likely fruit flies. If you have already taken a bite or two of that banana before you noticed the fruit flies buzzing around you, you’re probably wondering: can you eat fruit flies?<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The short answer is that yes, you can eat fruit flies and their eggs. You have probably done so many times before without even noticing it. They are very common, and it’s the reality of eating food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as your food has less than 60 insect pieces per 100 grams of weight<\/a>, the FDA says it’s all clear to eat! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There, doesn’t that make you feel better?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fruit flies can theoretically carry diseases, though you’re more likely to get sick<\/a> from eating rotten fruit than from eating fruit flies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless, you don’t want to eat them, and you don’t want them infesting your kitchen!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we’ll look a little closer at what happens if you eat fruit flies or their eggs, and how to get rid of them from your kitchen so you don’t need to worry about that!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Can You Eat Fruit Flies?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Fruit flies can theoretically transmit pathogenic bacteria<\/a>, but the risk is low, even if some fruit flies carry them. Look, you can be hit by a meteorite<\/a>. But do you spend your time worrying about it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fruit flies can theoretically transmit pathogenic bacteria, but the risk is low, even if some fruit flies carry them. Look, you can be hit by a meteorite. But do you spend your time worrying about it?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flies can in theory spread these to humans by directly touching our food, especially fruit.\u00a0There’s no doubt that insects such as fruit flies and the bacteria and disease-causing agents they carry can end up in our bodies.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there have been no clear-cut recorded cases<\/em> of people getting sick due to fruit flies. Identifying causation like that is super difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food Hygiene<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Our food isn’t as hygienic as we would like it to be. Fruits and meats are covered with bacteria after flies land on them. Flies also embed eggs in food, causing them to be accidentally consumed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you like figs (we love ’em), you’ve probably eaten fig wasps<\/a> before. If you like French cheese, you’ve probably eaten cheese mites<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our food has always had contaminants in it, and still does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s just life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These germs could potentially cause food poisoning<\/a>: salmonella, E. coli, etc. are all real risks. Food poisoning could theoretically be fatal. Maybe someday the news will talk about a fatal case of food poisoning due to fruit flies. It will probably happen someday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But you would be much better off if you spend your time worrying about your driving capabilities than eating fruit flies!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Are Fruit Fly Maggots Safe to Ingest?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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In addition to fly eggs, you may have eaten fruit fly larvae<\/a>. Mmm, delicious protein!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The appearance of larvae is similar to that of tiny worms. They don’t have legs and usually appear white or creamy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t worry, food that is spoiled or infested with flies or eggs is generally safe when accidentally ingested. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like the above comments, it’s theoretically possible<\/em> to get bacterial poisoning by eating fly larvae aka maggots.\u00a0But lots of things are theoretically possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you see these on your fruit, throw the fruit away outside. You have fruit flies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Allergic Reactions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In rare cases, people can suffer allergic reactions when they consume these larvae. Larvae can cause asthma and other respiratory problems if consumed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact dermatitis (particularly tiny bumps on the skin) can be triggered by contact with fruit flies<\/a>, and can also be caused by eating maggots or other larvae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Where Do Fruit Flies Like to Lay Eggs?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Eggs are primarily laid by adult fruit flies on fruits and vegetables. They can only burrow into rotting or overripe produce. If the fruit is not ripe, it is safe from fruit flies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They can only burrow into rotting or overripe produce. If the fruit is not ripe, it is safe from fruit flies. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember, fruit can ripen quite quickly, so keep an eye on them. In the right circumstances, fruit flies breach the outer layer of fruit and lay their eggs inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although overripe produce is a common place for fruit flies to lay their eggs, it’s not their only option. Fruit flies can lay eggs on traces of debris and sludge. Diseases are known to originate from here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They will choose other gross areas to lay their eggs in if there is no rotten fruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you see sludge accumulating in the bottom bins and rubbish piles? Fruit flies love it. Even a small amount of sludge can host a few fruit fly eggs. Once there is a couple, the infestation starts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If You Eat a Fruit Fly, Do You Need to Seek Treatment?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fruit fly exposure does not have a specific medical treatment. You might feel sick with the thought of having swallowed fruit flies, but in nearly all cases, anxiety is about all that comes from ingesting fruit flies! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A microorganism can cause patients to become ill, but it’s very rare.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fruit fly exposure does not have a specific medical treatment.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since fruit flies carry viruses and bacteria, it’s difficult to determine if you got sick from fruit fly ingestion, as you don’t usually know you’ve swallowed one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might have gastrointestinal or stomach pain. It could be from fruit fly bacteria, but there is no way to tell. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s important to diagnose the infection on its own and treat it according to the individual microorganism instead of assuming it\u2019s fruit flies. If you’re genuinely sick, who cares if it’s a fruit fly? Go to a clinic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Get Rid Of Your Fruit Fly Infestation!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rotting produce will attract fruit flies. The best defense against consuming fruit flies is to get rid of the infestation before it spreads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few tips to control an infestation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n