Rice worms, also known as rice weevils, are a common grain pest that feeds mainly on food crops such as rice, corn, and wheat. Rice worms multiply rapidly in the process of grain storage, which brings great trouble to grain storage. So, is it harmful for people to eat rice worms? In this guide, we'll take a closer look at this issue.
First of all, we need to understand the life cycle of rice worms. The adults of the rice worm lay eggs in the grain
After the eggs hatch into larvae, the larvae burrow in the grain to feed. As the larvae grow, they shed their skin and eventually turn into pupa. After the pupae develop into adults, they emerge from the grain and begin a new life cycle. In this process, the various stages of development of rice worms are in close contact with food, and as a result, people may eat grain containing rice worms.
So, is it harmful for people to eat rice worms? Judging from the current research, rice worms themselves do not contain toxins that are harmful to humans. Although rice worms multiply in food, they do not produce pathogenic bacteria or transmit diseases. Therefore, from this point of view, eating rice worms does not cause direct harm to human health.
However, despite the fact that the rice worms themselves are harmless, their presence poses a great problem for grain storage. Rice worms feed on grain, which can lead to food loss and increase the risk of food shortages. In addition, the reproduction of rice worms in grain may also lead to a decline in grain quality, affecting the taste and nutritional value of grain.
The hazards of rice worms may include nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, allergies, etc
1.Nausea and vomiting:
If there are rice worms in rice, it will have a greater psychological stimulation after eating, resulting in functional adverse reactions such as nausea and vomiting after eating, which can be relieved by gargling and drinking more water. If the vomiting is severe, some oral antiemetic drugs, such as domperidone tablets, can be taken to stop vomiting.
2.Allergies: rice worm is a high-protein substance belonging to allogeneic protein, if it is allergic to allogeneic protein people may have allergic reactions after eating, the general symptoms are mild, and can be relieved after appropriate rest, if the allergic reaction is severe, oral chlorpheniramine maleate tablets, loratadine tablets and other drugs for anti-allergic **.
3.Abdominal pain and diarrhea:
If a large amount of eggs are eaten, the eggs may enter the human body, causing discomfort and damage to the gastrointestinal tract, such as diarrhea or abdominal pain. If the color of the rice changes after the insects are born, a large number of carcinogens may be produced, and it is not recommended to eat them.
In order to reduce the harm of rice worms, we can take the following measures:
1.Keep the grain dry. Rice worms prefer humid environments, so keeping grain dry is key to preventing rice worm breeding. When storing grain, a dry and ventilated place should be chosen to avoid moisture entering.
2.Use an airtight storage container. Storing grain in an airtight container can effectively deter rice worms from entering. In addition, regularly check the tightness of the storage container to ensure that the container does not leak.
3.Clean up the food storage site regularly. Regular cleaning of grain storage sites can effectively remove eggs, larvae and pupae of rice worms, reducing the chance of rice worms to reproduce.
Although rice worms themselves are not directly harmful to human health, their presence has brought great trouble to food storage. Effective prevention and control measures can reduce the impact of rice worms on grain storage.