What Do Flies Taste Like?
WouterIf you’ve ever eaten a fly, you may wonder what they taste like. You can’t tell by looking at them, but flies are very foul-tasting. They’re often found sitting on the poop of different animals, and the taste you get depends on what they ate. Some people report that flies taste like crunchy, acrid almonds, or crickets.
To find out what flies taste like, scientists studied their taste receptors. They discovered that flies have two types of taste receptor neurons (GRNs), which are similar to taste receptor cells in mammals. One group is activated by low acidity, while the other group has the strongest response to high acidity. The researchers say that the flies use these nerve cells to judge whether food is sweet or bitter.
Although it is not recommended to eat these insects raw, they can be cooked and eaten. Black soldier fly larvae have a slightly nutty taste and smell. Buffalo worms are smaller and similar in appearance to mealworms, and they can be eaten whole or ground into flour. They are served on skewers in China, and there is a bit of controversy about them in the U.S.
