What is cheese with worms and why is it still rare?

Many names, one cheese: “maggot cheese”, as the English would say, is a Sardinian cheese that has gained considerable fame due to ongoing debates about its healthiness and characteristics, due to the presence of larvae from a cheese fly within the mixture – hence the name.

Since 2004, included in the list of Italian traditional agri-food products (PAT), this highly debated rotten cheese is a candidate for the designation of origin under the name “Casu Martzu”, although it has not yet obtained DOP certification. Its reputation has, in fact, led to it being avoided for sale primarily in Europe and the United States, as strong objections have been raised regarding the safety of its consumption.

Cheese with worms, however, remains on everyone's lips.

The small larvae of Piophila casei still proliferate undisturbed on this creamy and slightly spicy pecorino, at least until they reach adulthood: after metamorphosis, in fact, the insects leave the product and behind them (within a span of three months) they leave a composition with unique organoleptic characteristics.

In fact, casu marzu is nothing more than a special hotel – or a maternity ward – for flies looking for a refreshment break, which will be specifically attracted here by the cheesemakers interested in creating this specialty.

How is cheese with worms produced?

First of all, it is necessary to produce the base cheese, on whose rind small holes will be made to invite the insects to come closer (with the addition of a bit of olive oil). The forms will then be stacked close to one another, to allow the larvae to move more freely: the rooms where they will be stored will finally be kept at a temperature compatible with the life of the young fly.

Producing casu marzu is thus a laborious process, facing an extremely limited demand: surrounded by an aura of mystery and danger, it remains a niche product, viewed with suspicion and distrust (but not without a crumb of curiosity).

The issues in distribution

Cheese with worms has been at the center of complex bureaucratic acrobatics to classify it in a category of food products permitted for general consumption (like "novel food"). It is true that, so far, even in light of much bolder experiments involving the direct consumption of insects, this type of food has never been accepted at the community (and national) level, preventing this typical product from evolving and modernizing, for example, through the selection of sterile larvae specifically bred to create the creamy paste of casu marzu.

There are still many steps to take in this direction: the first, on the part of the consumer, would surely be not to deny oneself a taste, should it happen to be served at the table.