What Happens If You Accidentally Eat a Maggot in Your Food?

November 28, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a Scientific American blog, the average American unknowingly ingests up to two pounds of flies, maggots, and other bugs each year, a fact that may comfort some but disgust others. While accidentally eating a maggot in your food can be a jarring experience, the outcome is usually harmless, though some potential risks exist, primarily related to the spoiled food they inhabit.

Quick Summary

Accidentally eating a maggot is usually harmless, as stomach acid can break down the larvae. However, the greater risk lies in consuming the spoiled or contaminated food where the maggot was found, which can lead to bacterial food poisoning or, in rare cases, intestinal myiasis. The key is to monitor for symptoms and seek medical attention if severe issues arise.

Key Points

Low Risk, High Gross-out Factor: For most healthy adults, accidentally eating a maggot is unpleasant but poses a low risk of serious health problems, as stomach acid is highly effective at killing and digesting the larvae.
The Real Culprit is the Food: The main danger comes from the contaminated, spoiled food where the maggot was found, which can harbor harmful bacteria like E. coli or Salmonella and cause food poisoning.
Monitor for Food Poisoning Symptoms: Watch for symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever in the following hours or days; if they persist or worsen, seek medical attention.
Discard Contaminated Food Immediately: Finding a maggot is a clear sign the food is no longer safe to consume and should be thrown away immediately to prevent further contamination.
Rare Risk of Myiasis: In extremely rare cases, typically involving tropical species, live larvae could potentially survive digestion and cause intestinal myiasis, an infestation of the GI tract.
Prevention is Key: Storing food properly in sealed containers, practicing good hygiene, and inspecting produce can prevent flies from laying eggs and maggots from appearing.

Your Body's Defense: What Happens After You Swallow a Maggot

The human digestive system is remarkably resilient and designed to handle and neutralize a wide range of ingested substances. When you accidentally swallow a maggot, the first line of defense is your stomach's highly acidic environment. This stomach acid, along with powerful digestive enzymes, is typically very effective at breaking down and killing the fly larvae. In most cases, the maggot will be digested like any other protein, and you will experience no ill effects at all. However, it's not the maggot itself that poses the greatest risk, but rather the environment it comes from.

The Real Danger: Contaminated Food

Maggots and their eggs are typically found in decaying organic matter, such as spoiled or rotting food, garbage, or animal waste. Flies, before laying their eggs, can pick up and transfer harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli from these unsanitary sources to the food. Therefore, the primary danger of finding a maggot is the strong indication that the food itself is unsafe to eat and could cause bacterial food poisoning.

Potential Health Risks Associated with Ingesting a Maggot

While most cases are uneventful, there are a few potential health complications, primarily stemming from the contaminated food or pre-existing conditions:

Bacterial Food Poisoning: As mentioned, this is the most common and likely risk. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. Most healthy individuals recover within a few days without treatment, but it's important to stay hydrated.
Intestinal Myiasis: In rare cases, usually involving certain species of larvae, live maggots might survive the stomach's acidic environment and infest the gastrointestinal tract, a condition known as intestinal myiasis. This can cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or rectal bleeding. Myiasis is more common in tropical or subtropical regions and is often associated with poor sanitation.
Allergic Reactions: Some individuals may have an allergic reaction to consuming maggots, especially if they have a pre-existing sensitivity to certain insects or larvae. Symptoms might include hives, itching, or respiratory issues, though this is not common.

What to Do Immediately After Eating a Maggot

Don't Panic: The most important first step is to remain calm. For most healthy people, the risk of serious complications from a single maggot is low.
Assess the Food: Discard the contaminated food immediately. It's a clear sign that the item is spoiled and potentially dangerous.
Drink Water: Staying hydrated can help flush your system. Drink plenty of water over the next several hours.
Monitor Your Symptoms: Watch for signs of food poisoning, such as persistent vomiting, severe diarrhea, or fever. Most mild symptoms will pass on their own.

A Quick Comparison: Accidental vs. Intentional Consumption


Feature	Accidental Ingestion	Intentional Consumption (Entomophagy)
Source	Unsanitary, decaying, or spoiled food	Specifically farmed insects, cleaned and processed for human consumption
Preparation	None; the maggot is consumed raw and unknowingly	Cooked, dried, or powdered to eliminate harmful microbes
Microbial Risk	High; potential for harmful bacteria (E. coli, Salmonella) from contamination	Low; processing reduces the risk of bacterial poisoning significantly
Myiasis Risk	Small but present; live larvae could theoretically survive digestion	Negligible; processing kills the larvae completely
Palatability	Often highly repulsive due to surprise and association with decay	Varies depending on preparation; can be a protein source

Long-Term Effects and Prevention

For most people, there are no long-term health consequences from a single, accidental ingestion of a maggot. However, for those with compromised immune systems, the elderly, or young children, the risks associated with food poisoning are higher.

To prevent future occurrences, focusing on proper food storage and hygiene is key:

Store all perishable foods, especially meat, fruits, and vegetables, in sealed containers or in the refrigerator.
Keep kitchen surfaces clean and clear of food debris that can attract flies.
Ensure your indoor and outdoor trash cans have tight-fitting lids.
When purchasing produce, inspect it thoroughly for any signs of decay or damage before buying.
Cook all foods to the proper temperature to kill any potential eggs or larvae.

Conclusion

While discovering you have accidentally consumed a maggot is an unpleasant and distressing event, it is seldom a cause for a medical emergency for healthy individuals. The primary concern is not the maggot itself, but the spoiled food that likely hosted it, which can carry harmful bacteria and lead to food poisoning. The human digestive system is well-equipped to handle and destroy the larvae. By taking a few simple steps—staying calm, discarding the contaminated food, hydrating, and monitoring your symptoms—most people can navigate this situation without any lasting issues. For more information on preventing household pests, a helpful resource can be found here: https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/get-rid-of-maggots.

Frequently Asked Questions

For a healthy person, it is unlikely you will get sick from eating a single maggot, as your stomach acid is strong enough to destroy it. The greater risk is from the spoiled food it came from, which could cause bacterial food poisoning.

In most cases, a maggot cannot survive the highly acidic environment and powerful digestive enzymes of your stomach. However, some resistant larvae, particularly from tropical climates, have been known to survive and cause intestinal myiasis in rare instances.

Intestinal myiasis is a rare infection caused by fly larvae (maggots) infesting the gastrointestinal tract after being ingested. It can cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or rectal bleeding. It is not common in temperate climates.

Signs of food poisoning can include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and fever. These symptoms can appear between 12 and 72 hours after ingestion and usually last for several days.

You should see a doctor if you experience severe or persistent vomiting and diarrhea, bloody stools, high fever, or severe abdominal pain. If you have a weakened immune system, are elderly, or are giving the food to a child, it is also wise to seek medical advice.

Yes, to some extent. Reports suggest that due to flies, many people unknowingly consume small quantities of insects, including maggots, throughout the year. Food processing regulations permit a minuscule level of insect parts in some foods.

To prevent maggots, focus on proper food storage. Keep food in sealed containers, refrigerate perishables promptly, and ensure indoor and outdoor trash cans are tightly closed. Regularly cleaning kitchen surfaces also helps.