As a nation, the UK loves cheese. One 2023 market report discovered that 9 out of 10 of us take pleasure in consuming the stuff. And it may be present in round 94 p.c of our fridges.
Nonetheless, for most individuals, their cheese consumption will revolve across the classics, akin to cheddar, purple Leicester, and brie.
It is vitally unlikely that you just’ll hear of Brits tucking into casu marzu – an Italian cheese also known as probably the most “harmful” cheese on the planet. However why is that this?
Cheese is made by curdling milk and processing what’s left. Relying on the kind of cheese will probably be left to age for various lengths of time.
Sure micro organism will likely be used as a part of the cheese-making course of and in some circumstances edible mould can be used – creating what we all know as blue cheeses.
Casu marzu takes this a step additional by containing reside maggot larvae – and that is what could make it so dangerous to people.
The cheese is part of the Pecorino household – a conventional cheese from Sardinia created from pressed, cooked sheep’s milk.
Whereas it’s being left to mature, cheese skipper flies – or Piophila casei – lay their eggs in gaps that type within the cheese.
The maggots hatch and make their manner by means of the cheese, digesting proteins as they go, and finally reworking the product right into a delicate creamy cheese.
For the ultimate step, the cheesemonger cracks open the highest, often untouched by the maggots, to scoop out a spoonful of the creamy delicacy.
Locals and a few vacationers will then eat it, both with or with out the maggots, with followers agreeing it has an intense, spicy flavour that leaves an aftertaste for hours.
However would you be courageous sufficient to provide it a go?
Well being dangers
Some consultants warn it’s not value giving it a attempt.
In 2009, Guinness World Information declared it the world’s most harmful cheese.
Additionally it is unlawful to purchase or promote it inside the EU because of the well being dangers.
The cheese has additionally been deemed unlawful by the Italian authorities since 1962 because of legal guidelines that prohibit the consumption of meals contaminated by parasites.
However as a conventional product of Sardinia, it’s considerably protected and locals proceed to create and eat it – they may simply be hit with a positive if caught.
A part of the danger comes from the actual fact the larvae might move by means of your abdomen with out dying and that may trigger critical gut issues.
The Guiness E-book of Information said: “The maggots, as soon as consumed, can survive abdomen acid to move by means of the gut partitions, inflicting vomiting, belly ache and bloody diarrhoea.”
There are additionally issues it might create myiasis, that are micro-perforations within the gut, however thus far no such case has been linked to casu marzu.
If this doesn’t put you off there’s additionally the actual fact its very title, casu marzu means “rotten cheese”.
