Roach In My Frosted Flakes
March 3, 2017 6:18 PM Subscribe
There was a roach in my Frosted Flakes this morning. Which sounds like a line from an Insane Clown Posse song, doesn't it? Anyway, it quickly scurried away and I don't hold a grudge, but now I have to decide whether to throw everything out, or throw out just the bowl and eat the rest of the nearly-full box, or eat both because insects run over everything and this is probably just a case of ritual contamination, not a health risk. What would you do? And does it make a difference if it wasn't a cockroach but a generic bug? I couldn't quite tell either way.
Eh, I'd throw out the bowl and eat the rest. Most bugs are pretty clean actually.
We catch diseases from fleas and mosquitos and of course parasitic worms. But pantry pests aren't a big deal imo.
Sure, consider putting out roach bait, clean up and move on and protect your food better in the future if you choose, but don't feel like you have to throw it all out if you don't want to.
Hell, most of your recent ancestors happily ate traces of flour beetles and rodent feces and all kinds of unsavory stuff. It's not ideal but for me this is not a scorched earth situation.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:26 PM on March 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
We catch diseases from fleas and mosquitos and of course parasitic worms. But pantry pests aren't a big deal imo.
Sure, consider putting out roach bait, clean up and move on and protect your food better in the future if you choose, but don't feel like you have to throw it all out if you don't want to.
Hell, most of your recent ancestors happily ate traces of flour beetles and rodent feces and all kinds of unsavory stuff. It's not ideal but for me this is not a scorched earth situation.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:26 PM on March 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
If it was IN the box, it has shit IN the box. It was probably laid and grew to maturity IN the box, and may have left its own progeny inside.
If it jumped into the bowl from elsewhere, throw out the contents of that bowl and continue eating the cereal from the box (though yes, you may want to put it in a ziploc or jar, before putting out Combat baits).
posted by Lyn Never at 6:29 PM on March 3, 2017 [7 favorites]
If it jumped into the bowl from elsewhere, throw out the contents of that bowl and continue eating the cereal from the box (though yes, you may want to put it in a ziploc or jar, before putting out Combat baits).
posted by Lyn Never at 6:29 PM on March 3, 2017 [7 favorites]
Context is important! From the same WHO link above, directly after the scary quote:
Cockroaches are not usually the most important cause of a disease, but like houseflies they may play a supplementary role in the spread of some diseases.
If you throw out your whole plate because a fly landed on it, then by all means throw out all your frosted flakes. If you brush away the fly and finish your meal, then you're not crazy to do the same thing here. Different critters pose different risks, and WHO is pretty much claiming roaches are not the biggest problem. Not ideal, but maybe akin to a housefly. (I assume you'd not ask at all if you had no reason or motivation to save the cereal.)
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:40 PM on March 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
Cockroaches are not usually the most important cause of a disease, but like houseflies they may play a supplementary role in the spread of some diseases.
If you throw out your whole plate because a fly landed on it, then by all means throw out all your frosted flakes. If you brush away the fly and finish your meal, then you're not crazy to do the same thing here. Different critters pose different risks, and WHO is pretty much claiming roaches are not the biggest problem. Not ideal, but maybe akin to a housefly. (I assume you'd not ask at all if you had no reason or motivation to save the cereal.)
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:40 PM on March 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
Get the box out of the house. It has roach eggs ready to hatch!!!
posted by Toddles at 6:45 PM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Toddles at 6:45 PM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Agree that you should set the $5 box of cereal on fire, and please clean your pantry. I had an awful pantry moth infestation last year and it's changed how I store grains. It's. Not. Worth. It.
posted by jbenben at 6:46 PM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by jbenben at 6:46 PM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'd feed that box to the pigeons. Then I'd get some glass storage containers with plastic lids and start fresh.
posted by bonobothegreat at 6:47 PM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by bonobothegreat at 6:47 PM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
With the world becoming just that much more crowded, and with antibiotic-resistant diseases and pesticide-resistant parasites becoming just that much more of a problem every year, and with health care generally becoming that much more of a challenge (for your neighbors if not for you yet), and with other health threats becoming just that much more of a problem every year (manufacturing/import/inspection standards, questionable sourcing) -- none of these things is reason to panic on its own, or even collectively, yet. Things are basically fine. However, it's possible that now is not the time to start relaxing on hygiene or to start thinking "eh, a little pestilence won't hurt anything".
I'm definitely not in favor of letting reflexive disgust determine policy generally, but that revulsion you feel about bugs in your food probably helped keep your ancestors alive.
Also, they do legitimately carry disease, and while the odds of your particular [set of indeterminate size of] vermin infecting you is small, it's non-zero and it's easy to avoid.
Plus, I'm sure you are a good person who deserves clean food.
Which is to say, it will bother you a bit, but I'd seriously throw out this entire box (or compost intelligently so it doesn't attract more bugs), then examine all your remaining food and reevaluate all your food storage solutions.
FWIW, when I was living in very cheap places in college, I developed the habit of keeping breakfast cereal in the refrigerator. Super cold cereal on a summer morning, it turns out, is great.
posted by amtho at 6:51 PM on March 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
I'm definitely not in favor of letting reflexive disgust determine policy generally, but that revulsion you feel about bugs in your food probably helped keep your ancestors alive.
Also, they do legitimately carry disease, and while the odds of your particular [set of indeterminate size of] vermin infecting you is small, it's non-zero and it's easy to avoid.
Plus, I'm sure you are a good person who deserves clean food.
Which is to say, it will bother you a bit, but I'd seriously throw out this entire box (or compost intelligently so it doesn't attract more bugs), then examine all your remaining food and reevaluate all your food storage solutions.
FWIW, when I was living in very cheap places in college, I developed the habit of keeping breakfast cereal in the refrigerator. Super cold cereal on a summer morning, it turns out, is great.
posted by amtho at 6:51 PM on March 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
Lest I come off as entirely pro roach eating: here is an interesting research article about how roaches spread disease in some hospitals in Iran. The introduction contains many good references on cockroaches and their potential role in the spread of human disease. I tried for a while to find scholarly references on roaches spreading diseases in the modern USA, Canada, or Australia, but did not find anything that relevant.
I was wrong to equate them with flour beetles above: flour beetles are a significantly safer pest in terms of spreading disease to humans. Cockroaches can indeed spread a variety of diseases, much like houseflies can. This is a risk, and the hazard vs. benefit payoff calculation is only up to you. You also don't know for sure it was a roach. I still say to ask yourself what you throw away if a fly lands on it, and now I'll bow out :)
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:57 PM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
I was wrong to equate them with flour beetles above: flour beetles are a significantly safer pest in terms of spreading disease to humans. Cockroaches can indeed spread a variety of diseases, much like houseflies can. This is a risk, and the hazard vs. benefit payoff calculation is only up to you. You also don't know for sure it was a roach. I still say to ask yourself what you throw away if a fly lands on it, and now I'll bow out :)
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:57 PM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'd just toss the box, but I'm pretty cavalier with food. If you're really strapped for cash, I'd check the rest really carefully and eat it, if you need to. It's a dry food, so it's easier to inspect, though germs are of course very small.
posted by xingcat at 7:13 PM on March 3, 2017
posted by xingcat at 7:13 PM on March 3, 2017
Oh, jeez. This is what stomach acid is for.
Throw out the roach. Eat the cereal. Forget it.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 7:21 PM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Throw out the roach. Eat the cereal. Forget it.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 7:21 PM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
If you throw out the box, you just might prevent or mitigate a full scale roach infestation. You definitely don't want a full scale roach infestation in your home, even if you're comfortable eating the Roachios.
posted by kapers at 7:33 PM on March 3, 2017 [12 favorites]
posted by kapers at 7:33 PM on March 3, 2017 [12 favorites]
A single roach running across your plate (or hiding in your cup of coffee -- ask my Mum about that one) = wash the dishes.
But if you poured the insect out of a container of food it was in for God knows how long, the box is likely a roach motel, nursery and shittery.
Get rid of the box, check your environs, figure out a plan if you do have an infestation.
Signed, a veteran of some of Scarborough's nastiest highrises.
posted by maudlin at 8:06 PM on March 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
But if you poured the insect out of a container of food it was in for God knows how long, the box is likely a roach motel, nursery and shittery.
Get rid of the box, check your environs, figure out a plan if you do have an infestation.
Signed, a veteran of some of Scarborough's nastiest highrises.
posted by maudlin at 8:06 PM on March 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
What would you do?
I would move. Preferably to somewhere prone to hard freezes in winter.
posted by asperity at 10:01 PM on March 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
I would move. Preferably to somewhere prone to hard freezes in winter.
posted by asperity at 10:01 PM on March 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
If a roach poo's in your cereal and there's no one there to see it, will it cause disease? (I'm only sort of kidding). Had that thing scuttled back to hell before you knew it was all up in your flakes you would have eaten them anyway. And I honestly think you'd be fine. Our immune/digestive systems are pretty boss...but I'd be to squeaked out to eat them. My appetite would have scuttled to hell with the cockroach.
posted by unicornologist at 10:50 PM on March 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by unicornologist at 10:50 PM on March 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Something, something, nuke it from orbit, it's the only way, something.
Gallon Ziploc bags for all grains and cereals. Or transfer to glass / plastic containers.
Put out roach bait.
posted by TrishaU at 1:15 AM on March 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
Gallon Ziploc bags for all grains and cereals. Or transfer to glass / plastic containers.
Put out roach bait.
posted by TrishaU at 1:15 AM on March 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
Set your kitchen on fire and move.*
Jk. Have you seen any other bugs recently?
If no, then assume that little bastard came in the box and throw it out and go live your life.
If actually yes, you have seen other buggies, then assume you have a roach infestation. This means a thorough kitchen cleaning and putting dry food in plastic baggies. All of this will be a tremendous pain but it will buy you some peace of mind until you see another one. Then you clean again and call an exterminator.
*Srsly tho don't set your kitchen on fire and move.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 4:00 AM on March 4, 2017
Jk. Have you seen any other bugs recently?
If no, then assume that little bastard came in the box and throw it out and go live your life.
If actually yes, you have seen other buggies, then assume you have a roach infestation. This means a thorough kitchen cleaning and putting dry food in plastic baggies. All of this will be a tremendous pain but it will buy you some peace of mind until you see another one. Then you clean again and call an exterminator.
*Srsly tho don't set your kitchen on fire and move.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 4:00 AM on March 4, 2017
Aw no man. Throw the box out. In fact, it wouldn't be an overreaction to throw out everything in your cupboards that isn't in a sealed container and invest in a bunch of those storage containers with the airtight locking lids.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:17 AM on March 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:17 AM on March 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
I actually am rather fond of bugs and think in many ways they get a bad rap - but I would not eat more cereal from a box I poured a roach out of. Because of poop.
If you're not sure it was a roach or not sure that it was in the cereal box, then I guess I'd go with whatever my comfort levels allowed for, but if you do have concerns or would be bothered eating the rest of the cereal there's no need to be a hero. Toss the box and feel like you're doing what you can to minimize the amount of roach poop you're eating.
posted by DingoMutt at 5:22 AM on March 4, 2017
If you're not sure it was a roach or not sure that it was in the cereal box, then I guess I'd go with whatever my comfort levels allowed for, but if you do have concerns or would be bothered eating the rest of the cereal there's no need to be a hero. Toss the box and feel like you're doing what you can to minimize the amount of roach poop you're eating.
posted by DingoMutt at 5:22 AM on March 4, 2017
Response by poster: I threw it out, but for ritualistic reasons, not because I was worried about my health. It's strange to me that MeFi thinks this is a significant risk but is usually cavalier about the risks of food poisoning from food left out too long!
In fact, it wouldn't be an overreaction to throw out everything in your cupboards that isn't in a sealed container and invest in a bunch of those storage containers with the airtight locking lids.
I think this might be region dependent. It is common here for large, scary-but-with-a-heart-of-gold roaches to wander inside kitchens, especially in wet weather. If we threw out food every time a cockroach was in the vicinity we'd never eat anything.
posted by dontjumplarry at 5:37 PM on March 4, 2017
In fact, it wouldn't be an overreaction to throw out everything in your cupboards that isn't in a sealed container and invest in a bunch of those storage containers with the airtight locking lids.
I think this might be region dependent. It is common here for large, scary-but-with-a-heart-of-gold roaches to wander inside kitchens, especially in wet weather. If we threw out food every time a cockroach was in the vicinity we'd never eat anything.
posted by dontjumplarry at 5:37 PM on March 4, 2017
Yeah, if roaches and beetles are as happy to live outside as in in your part of the world and infestations don't seem to be a thing, then that's pretty different from those of us in colder places who sometimes have to fight off nightmare invasions. (The roaches that my Dad sprayed with some insecticide got PISSED and ran up his legs. Do not fuck with Toronto roaches. Or raccoons. Or crack-smoking mayors.)
posted by maudlin at 7:39 PM on March 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by maudlin at 7:39 PM on March 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
I live in the south, and I've battled ants, pantry moths, German roaches, you name it over the years. The best way to get rid of them (and keep them away) is to starve the little fuckers. Put everything in airtight containers or bags, wipe up any crumbs/spills/water immediately, and keep the place dry and clean. Don't leave anything around they can obviously live on foodwise.
As for that box of cereal, my vote is to nuke it from orbit. I hate roaches with a fiery passion.
posted by jhope71 at 9:56 AM on March 6, 2017
As for that box of cereal, my vote is to nuke it from orbit. I hate roaches with a fiery passion.
posted by jhope71 at 9:56 AM on March 6, 2017
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