🔸 How is it prepared?
Casu Marzu is prepared from Pecorino Sardo.
During aging, the larvae enter and, by eating the cheese, change its structure, creating a creamier consistency.
The final product is covered with live larvae, which can move freely when the cheese is served.
🦠 Is Casu Marzu dangerous?
Casu Marzu has been banned by the European Union because it does not comply with health and food safety regulations. The live worms inside the cheese and the fact that it is served unpasteurized make the product potentially dangerous.
However, despite its “dangerous” appearance, the real risks are much lower than you think. Health authorities have stated that when consumed correctly, Casu Marzu does not pose an immediate health risk.
🔸 What makes Casu Marzu dangerous?
Live worms: The presence of larvae moving around in the cheese might seem disturbing, but that’s not what makes cheese dangerous.
Unpasteurized: The cheese does not undergo pasteurization treatments, so it may contain pathogenic bacteria such as salmonella or escherichia coli.
🔑 An important fact: If consumed fresh and in controlled hygienic conditions, the risk of contamination is very low, but it should still be consumed with caution.
💥 The truth about the risks
Although Casu Marzu is seen as a “dangerous” cheese due to the presence of live worms, it is not so much the presence of larvae that represents a danger. The real risk derives from the fact that the cheese is not subjected to pasteurization treatments. However, many people who consume it regularly claim that cheese is entirely safe when produced and stored properly.
🔸 Responsible consumption
When purchased from reputable sources, and in small quantities, Casu Marzu can be enjoyed safely. The problem arises when the product is not treated or stored properly.
🌍 Casu Marzu today
Despite the European Union ban, Casu Marzu is still produced and consumed legally in Sardinia, where it is sold in local markets and delicatessen. The cheese remains a symbol of Sardinian tradition, although its consumption is limited for safety reasons.
Casu Marzu is undoubtedly one of the most unique and controversial cheeses in the world, but it is not the “dead” cheese that many imagine. Although the health risk exists, when consumed correctly, cheese is not as dangerous as it may seem. However, its status as a “dangerous cheese” resulting from non-compliance with health regulations limits its production and distribution.
ADVERTISEMENT
