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

Many names, only one cheese: “maggot cheese”, as the English would say, is a Sardinian cheese that has achieved considerable fame for the continuous discussions about its healthiness and its characteristics, due to the presence of the larvae of a dairy fly all&' inside of &' dough — hence the name.

Inserted in 2004 on the list of Italian PATs, this hotly debated rotten cheese is a candidate for the designation of origin with the wording of “Casu Martzu”, even though it has not yet obtained the DOP certification. Its reputation, on the other hand, went so far as to avoid trade primarily in Europe and the United States, since strong objections were raised

The cheese with the worms, however, remains on everyone's lips.

The small larvae of Piophila casei, to date, still proliferate undisturbed on this creamy and slightly spicy pecorino cheese, at least until they reach adulthood: after the metamorphosis, in fact, the insects abandon the product and leave behind (within a period of time of three months) a compound with unique organoleptic characteristics

In fact, the casu marzu is nothing more than a special hotel — or a maternity ward — for flies looking for a refreshment break, who will be specially attracted here by master cheesemakers interested in

How do you make cheese with worms?

First of all, it is necessary to produce the basic cheese, on whose crust small holes will be drilled to invite insects to come closer (with l&' addition of a little &' d&' oil d&' olive). The shapes will then be stacked close to each other, to make the larvae move more easily: the rooms in which they will be kept will finally be kept at a temperature compatible with the life of the

Producing casu marzu is therefore a laborious process, which meets 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 shred of

Problems in distribution

Cheese with worms has been at the center of complex bureaucratic acrobatics to place it in a category of foodstuffs allowed for generalized consumption (such as 'novel food'). It is true that, for now, even in the face of much more daring experiments involving the direct consumption of insects, this diet has never been accepted at the community (and national) level, precluding this typical product from evolving and modernizing, for example through the selection of sterile larvae specially raised 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 certainly be not to deny themselves a taste, should it happen on the table

S&M