What happens if you eat a worm in an apple?
Daniel Moore
Published Jan 09, 2026
They are neither harmful to humans (nor animals) nor do they carry any harmful parasites. Now, worms digging into the apple will cause some rot and that can produce an off flavor, but even the bacterial and fungal species that cause rot in apples are not a hazard for humans.
What happens if you eat a fruit with worms?
Accidentally ingesting maggots does not generally cause any lasting harm. However, if a person has ingested maggots through eating spoiled food, they may be at risk of food poisoning. Symptoms of food poisoning can range from very mild to serious, and they can sometimes last for several days.
What do you do if you accidentally eat a worm?
A person should see a doctor if any of the following signs and symptoms occur after ingesting maggots:
- visible larvae in stools.
- persistent abdominal pain.
- symptoms of bacterial poisoning that worsen or do not get better.
- diarrhea lasting more than 3 days.
- diarrhea and a fever of more than 102˚F.
- bloody stools.
What happens if you eat a worm?
Eating maggots or maggot-infested food can cause bacterial poisoning. Most foods that have maggots aren't safe to eat, especially if the larvae have been in contact with feces. Some houseflies use animal and human feces as breeding sites. They also breed on garbage or rotting organic material.
Can you eat apples with apple maggot damage?
Expert Response. If you can get past the ick-factor of finding an occasional worm, they are perfectly safe. Some people make applesauce or cider out of worm-ridden apples. But there is no reason they can't be eaten raw.
45 related questions foundCan you eat apples that have worms?
Your best option is to slice the apples up, cut out the worm tunnels (every bit of them, because they contain worm droppings, ick) and feed the children those; they are fine to eat. Sweeten the deal with honey drizzled over, or yogurt or a sweet salad dressing they can dip the slices into.
Can worms really be in apples?
Most likely the “worms” in your apples are actually codling moth larvae. The codling moth is a common insect pest and apples are its preferred food, although pears and English walnuts can also be targets. Often the first indication of a codling moth infestation is the destruction you find inside a ripe apple.
Can a worm survive in your stomach?
The worms can burrow into the walls of the stomach or the small intestine, though it is much more common to find them in the stomach, Fuchizaki said. About 95 percent of anisakiasis cases are in the stomach, he told Live Science.
Are worms healthy to eat?
There are plenty of nutrients to write about. Earthworms are a wriggling superfood. They're high in protein and have high levels of iron and of amino acids, which help break down food and repair body tissue.
What happens if a child eats a worm?
Your child may vomit once, just from the taste. There's a small risk of getting diarrhea. There's a very small risk of getting worms.
Can you get worms from eating fruit?
Ascaris. Ascaris, a genus of intestinal roundworm, are generally transmitted when people ingest the eggs of the worm. These eggs can end up in your food when you touch contaminated soil or eat fruits and vegetables that were grown in such soil without washing them first.
Can a bug survive in your throat?
If the bug moves down into your trachea (or windpipe) below your vocal cords, or if it blocks your airway, that's a different story. “Coughing will usually expel the bug, but it's a concern if it moves significantly below the vocal cords,” she says.
Can maggots get in your body?
Wound myiasis: occurs as a result of egg deposition on decaying flesh or pus-discharging wounds. If the maggots invade rather than staying on superficial layers of exposed tissue, subcutaneous nodules can result. Myiasis of body cavities: results from maggot infestation on the eye, nasal passages, ear canal, or mouth.
How do you tell if you have maggots in your body?
Typical symptoms of furuncular myiasis include itching, a sensation of movement, and sometimes sharp, stabbing pain. At first, people have a small red bump that may resemble a common insect bite or the beginning of a pimple (furuncle). Later, the bump enlarges, and a small opening may be visible at the center.
Are worms poisonous to eat?
Is it safe to eat worms? Generally, studies show that it's safe to eat most commonly consumed species of worms and other insects ( 3 ).
Can worms eat you alive?
Yes, and some can eat humans alive. Some kinds of worms will bite to eat; others sting with hairs to defend themselves. Some can live and move inside you.
Do worms feel pain?
But a team of Swedish researchers has uncovered evidence that worms do indeed feel pain, and that worms have developed a chemical system similar to that of human beings to protect themselves from it.
What poop looks like when you have worms?
Sometimes the worms are visible in the anal area, underwear, or in the toilet. In stools, the worms look like small pieces of white cotton thread. Because of their size and white color, pinworms are difficult to see.
Can humans poop worms?
Any worms in your gut will eventually pass out in your poo. You may not notice this. To avoid becoming infected again or infecting others, it's very important during the weeks after starting treatment to wash your hands: after going to the toilet.
Does everyone have worms in their body?
Thanks in part to modern plumbing, people in the industrialized world have now lost almost all of their worms, with the exception of occasional pinworms in some children. Intestinal worms are properly called “helminths,” which most dictionaries will tell you are parasites.
Are fruit worms harmful to humans?
“Although the sight of translucent worms crawling out of a fresh strawberry fruit might not be appealing, there are no known ill effects of eating them,” says Lahiri. “In fact, if you accidentally consumed some maggots, all you did was get some extra animal protein in your salad or fruit shake.”
What does a worm in an apple look like?
Slightly smaller than a housefly, adult apple maggots are 1/5 inch long and have conspicuous black bands — resembling a W — running across their transparent wings. The larvae (1/4 inch long) are white, tapered maggots that tunnel throughout the flesh of fruit.
What kills apple maggots?
Spraying is the most reliable method of reducing maggot injury to apples. The use of an all-purpose fruit spray mixture plus the insecticides phosmet (Imidan) or carbaryl (Sevin 50 WP) should produce a spray that will adequately control the flies.
Can maggots eat you alive?
Maggots, otherwise known as fly larvae, are, of course, famous for eating the flesh of dead animals, and in this they perform a vital, if unglamorous, cleansing function in nature. But also – less often – maggots can infest and feed on the flesh of live animals and humans, a phenomenon known as myiasis.