It's possible, but houseflies usually prefer moist, decaying organic matter for eggs, not fresh food, though they can leave behind bacteria or even eggs/maggots in older, uncovered items. Look for tiny, white, rice-shaped specks in clusters on the food's surface or in crevices; if you see them, the food is likely contaminated and should be discarded, as they hatch quickly into maggots. If you ate something with them, your stomach acid usually kills the eggs, but watch for symptoms like cramps or diarrhea.
In most cases, eating food with housefly eggs is unlikely to cause harm, as stomach acid typically destroys the eggs. However, if you experience symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain, it would be wise to consult a doctor.
Eggs are most commonly laid on moist, fermenting food masses such as overripe fruit and vegetables. Within 24 to 30 hours, fruit fly eggs hatch into larvae known as maggots. These maggots feed on the fruits within which they were laid.
Intestinal myiasis occurs when fly eggs or larvae previously deposited in food are ingested and survive in the gastrointestinal tract. Some infested patients have been asymptomatic; others have had abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea (2,3). Many fly species are capable of producing intestinal myiasis.
Digesting an Insect
“Eating a bug now and then probably won't be a problem for most,” Dr. Pritt says. An exception is insects like flies, which often carry the bacteria Shigella on their feet. Shigella causes severe and, frequently, bloody diarrhea in humans.
Myiasis occurs when fly eggs hatch on a person and the larvae grow in their body. People cannot spread myiasis to other humans. If you have myiasis, there is no need to worry that you'll cause other people in your household to develop a parasitic infection.
In most instances, spotting a fly on your food doesn't mean you need to throw it out. While there is little doubt that flies can carry bacteria, viruses and parasites from waste to our food, a single touchdown is unlikely to trigger a chain reaction leading to illness for the average healthy person.
Make sure that you never leave any food, including pet food, uncovered. Flies can lay eggs on food before it goes in the bin. Double-bag all food waste in securely tied plastic bags.
If you can still stomach your food after the above - we really don't want to chuck out and waste if we can help it - you can brush or wipe off the bit the fly sat on. If possible, reheat the meal. Heating, drying and/or microwaving can reduce the risk of bacterial contamination, according to Medical News Today.
And some arthropods passively carry bacteria on their feet and body. Flies for example can carry Shigella, which can cause severe and often bloody diarrhea. “If this happens, it usually resolves itself within a week, but if it's severe, it may require antibiotics,” Dr. Pritt says.
Bluebottle flies and other flesh flies can carry unpleasant gastric diseases on their bodies. Toss your coffee if one of those lands in it. It's a moment's work to go and make (or buy) a fresh coffee.
Eggs are laid on or just under the surface of moist, decaying organic matter such as fresh animal manure, decaying vegetable matter or decaying kitchen waste. It is highly unlikely, therefore, that a fly will lay eggs on fresh food in your home or a restaurant.
Is it safe to eat food that has been touched by fruit flies? No, it is not safe. If food was touched by fruit flies, there may be bacteria that cause disease. The appropriate strategy is to remove the damaged area of the food or to dispose of it.
Egg: The life cycle of a house fly begins in the egg stage. Maggot: Fly eggs turn into larvae, also known as maggots. Fly pupae: Maggots will then pupate, which is similar to a butterfly cocoon. Full grown house fly: Pupae will then become a fully grown house fly.
If a single fly has brief contact on freshly cooked food, then most health experts would say it's not a big deal and there's no need to chuck the food. However, if a swarm of flies has been feasting on your meal for hours, then it's best to use your common sense and discard the food.
The myth that flies lay eggs every time they land is not supported by scientific evidence. Flies are selective about where they lay their eggs and do not lay them on every surface they land on. However, flies can still transmit harmful bacteria and pose a health risk to humans.
Flies hate strong, pungent smells, especially essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, and lemongrass, due to compounds like linalool that overwhelm their senses; other scents they dislike include strong herbs like basil and rosemary, and even things like cinnamon and citronella. These natural scents can be used in diffusers, sprays, or by planting them to create a fly-free zone, as flies prefer filth and are repelled by these clean, sharp aromas.
Most flies lay eggs, but some give birth to live maggots. What happens if I accidentally eat a fly's egg? Nothing will happen to you if you eat a fly egg. The fly egg will die.
House fly eggs resemble tiny grains of white rice clustered together in damp areas. Some species, like blow flies, lay slightly larger, elongated eggs, while fruit fly eggs are even smaller and harder to spot.
Homeowners typically find house fly eggs in moist, decaying organic material like trash, grass clippings, or feces. Elongated and pale in color, they appear in clusters and hatch quickly after being laid by the female fly.
If flies are allowed to lay eggs in food at any stage of food preparation, that would be a failure of process and would need to be addressed. “Fly eggs/maggots do not survive cooking processes and flies do not lay eggs/maggots on hot food, they do however lay on warm food.
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.
Economic Importance. House flies are strongly suspected of transmitting at least 65 diseases to humans, including typhoid fever, dysentery, cholera, poliomyelitis, yaws, anthrax, tularemia, leprosy, and tuberculosis.