feeling ill

[Wizard]

I was eating some tomato soup for lunch and put some oyster crackers into it. I just pulled something that looks like a beetle larva from my soup. The larva was baked into an oyster cracker. The cracker is still surrounding most of it. Yuck! Out went the soup. I may send the crackers and critter back to Nabisco. Totally unprepared to eat larva unless I'm in the desert. This sucker is an inch and a half long.

Wizard

[coldfront]

key issues:
1. if larvae made it through the bake process, it was sterile.
2. if crackers were 'infested' post bake, you might have found others in the package.  (have you looked?  is there a 'sweet odor'?)

work in the milling/baking industry.  there are sifter screens to remove these types of things.
Now, to be clear:  it's not common and IF/WHEN these things are seen on the overs of the sifter, actions are taken.

presence of insects, adult/larval, are not acceptable.

YOu would be helping your cracker manufacturer by bringing this up with them.  they will need the code date off the original packaging.  Plus it's always helpful to have the actual insect:  lots of key info available by determining species.

this probably doesn't help 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/06/09/how-many-spiders-and-insects-do-people-really-eat-unaware/#5edad5847ed8

[Lipripper]

This reminds me of an old saying. Would you rather bite into an apple and find a worm or bite into an apple and find half a worm. 

[Bud Kennedy]

Come on Wiz, you are going soft.  I am sure you remember some of that desert bread that has those crunchy beatles inside

[Smallie_Stalker]

I had a similar experience with a product back in my 20's. I sent a letter to the company along with the box full of insects and eggs and told them I would never buy their product again. In response, they sent me an apology and a whole damn case of the product. 

Hope you're feeling better Wiz.

[Princeton_Man]

Not normally a lot of protein in oyster cracker and tomato soup. Just a little extra protein. You got a bonus! Like Coldfront pointed out, if it was baked in, it was sterile.

We and some of our neighbors have some old apple trees that continue to produce long past their prime. While walking Lucy Saturday morning, I made a short jump and grabbed a nice Red Delicious to eat, About halfway though I tasted something similar to dirt. Examined the apple and discovered the worm hole right where I had bitten. I'd already swallowed it so there was nothing left to do but finish the apple. 

[Lipripper]

Not normally a lot of protein in oyster cracker and tomato soup. Just a little extra protein. You got a bonus! Like Coldfront pointed out, if it was baked in, it was sterile.

We and some of our neighbors have some old apple trees that continue to produce long past their prime. While walking Lucy Saturday morning, I made a short jump and grabbed a nice Red Delicious to eat, About halfway though I tasted something similar to dirt. Examined the apple and discovered the worm hole right where I had bitten. I'd already swallowed it so there was nothing left to do but finish the apple. 

No sense in wasting a good apple. 

[Princeton_Man]

No sense in wasting a good apple. 

And I felt the odds of finding a second worm pretty low. 

[Lipripper]

And I felt the odds of finding a second worm pretty low. 

Was it a single family unit? 

[Wizard]

You guys know I'm not squeamish. It is unacceptable to open a fresh bag of crackers and have such an ugly critter in it. I bagged the bug, kept the bag and will call Nabisco tomorrow, The cracker was baked around the critter. And no, it isn't a desert dried Baby Ruth.

Wizard

[Princeton_Man]

You guys know I'm not squeamish. It is unacceptable to open a fresh bag of crackers and have such an ugly critter in it. I bagged the bug, kept the bag and will call Nabisco tomorrow, The cracker was baked around the critter. And no, it isn't a desert dried Baby Ruth.

Wizard

I once opened a cheap candy bar and broke it in half before taking a bite. Smack dab in the middle a big ol' cockroach!

From that time on, nothing but brand name candy bars for me.

[Oldfart9999]

I once opened a cheap candy bar and broke it in half before taking a bite. Smack dab in the middle a big ol' cockroach!

From that time on, nothing but brand name candy bars for me.

That takes all the excitement and anticipation out of it!!
Rodney

[Wizard]

I called Nabisco and talked to a Customer Rep. I gave the information on the bag and discussed the critter. She said they would look into it and send me a voucher for the oyster crackers. The person didn't seem concerned but did thank me for the call. She yawned several times while I was talking. I have a feeling the company hears this more than we realize. She said the bigger critters gross people out but the rest of the crackers were probably edible. I'll let the birds eat them.

Wizard

[Pacific NW Ron]

. She said the bigger critters gross people out but the rest of the crackers were probably edible. I'll let the birds eat them.

Wizard

That's what I'd do too.  No way I'd be able to eat the rest of them.
Ron

[Princeton_Man]

I called Nabisco and talked to a Customer Rep. I gave the information on the bag and discussed the critter. She said they would look into it and send me a voucher for the oyster crackers. The person didn't seem concerned but did thank me for the call. She yawned several times while I was talking. I have a feeling the company hears this more than we realize. She said the bigger critters gross people out but the rest of the crackers were probably edible. I'll let the birds eat them.

Wizard

The FDA and Health dept folks actually permit certain percentages of "bugs" (larvae) in all the grain products. It's normal. Even the Pillsbury dough boy has a bunch of bugs in him. It's impossible to remove them.

[coldfront]

The FDA and Health dept folks actually permit certain percentages of "bugs" (larvae) in all the grain products. It's normal. Even the Pillsbury dough boy has a bunch of bugs in him. It's impossible to remove them.

if it helps, the industry tries really hard.   

and don't take the 'yawning' as indicative of company concern.  although to be fair, I can sure see your point.

lot of these complaint lines get 'farmed out' to save costs.

[Smallie_Stalker]

She said the bigger critters gross people out but the rest of the crackers were probably edible. I'll let the birds eat them.

Wizard

"Probably" edible? Seriously? I would have invited her over to be the one to finish off the package. 

[68camaro]

Wow, buy crackers and get free protein...sweet

[SteveTX]

Dang I love the Ritz crackers, cheddar cheese, and summer sausage. Now I will have to be on the lookout.

[Oldfart9999]

Wow, buy crackers and get free protein...sweet

Or free panfish bait!!
Rodney