Like a jar of sun-dried tomatoes? Wait until you know what’s inside
In Mexico, people don’t bat an eyelid at insects in food; a taco like this is actually completely normal there. But we were still quite shocked when we discovered that orange juice and strawberries are crawling with bugs. Does the same apply to sun-dried tomatoes?
We always have a jar of sun-dried tomatoes in the pantry. Delicious in a salad or for making these warm rolls with feta and olives. But here’s the thing: according to Keuringsdienst van Waarde, such a jar contains not only sun-dried, dark-red tomatoes soaked in olive oil, but also insects.
A jar of sun-dried tomatoes with insects
Just like that plunger in an olive and fake supermarket mie, we didn’t see this one coming either. Still, according to Keuringsdienst van Waarde, it’s not that strange for insects to end up in the jars. Here’s why: sun-dried tomatoes are dried in the sun. This happens in open fields for around seven days. The warm weather and the unprotected, unsprayed tomatoes make a perfect home for insects.
Harmless
Of course, the tomatoes are thoroughly washed after drying. But insects that have hidden deep inside the tomatoes cannot be removed with a simple rinse. As a result, the insects—or often parts of them—remain in the flesh. As in this case, insects ending up in food happens more often unintentionally than intentionally. It is not harmful, by the way, because the quantities involved are very small. And the taste of the tomatoes? Fortunately, they are still just as delicious.
Also read:
- You’ll be shocked: your tomato is a mini vegetable garden
- An ode to the tomato
- Recipe: Tarte Tatin made with truss tomatoes
Source: Keuringsdienst van Waarde
