3. Maggot Cheese, Sardinia
The clue is in the name, and yes this cheese really is riddled with insect larvae. This Sardinian delicacy is called “Casu Marzu” which literally means ‘rotten cheese’ but it’s most often referred to as ‘maggot cheese.’ It also has a more sinister title, as it is described as the world’s most dangerous cheese.
As such, you can’t find in your everyday Sardinian market as Italy banned Casu Marzu way back in 1962. European regulators stepped in 40 years later, and in 2002 made production and sales of the “rotten cheese” illegal in all the common EU market.
The cheese Fiore Sardo, the “Sardinian flower”, is the island’s pecorino (made from sheep milk). which has had the larvae of the cheese fly, Piophila casei, introduced into it. Fermentation occurs as the larvae digest the cheese fats, and the texture becomes very soft with some liquid seeping out.
The cheese has to be eaten when the maggots are still alive because when they are dead it is considered to be toxic. And eating dead maggots is disgusting, right?
A shock that will come to no-one is that certain health issues come with eating this cheese. Reports of allergic reactions and the inherent danger of consuming cheese that has advanced to a toxic state can cause serious issues. Add to that the risk of intestinal larval infection and you’ve got yourself a food to die for.
