Sisters Say They Found Maggots In Candy Bar ("Felt it move in my mouth")

WFTV ^ | 4/30/05

[KidGlock]

Sisters Say They Found Maggots In Candy Bar

POSTED: 1:55 pm EDT April 29, 2005

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Two Boca Raton sisters said they bit into some candy bars this week and surprisingly got a good dose of protein. They said they were trying out the new candy called M-azing, but ended up getting maggots.

Monica Castanheeira said she bought some M-azing chocolate bars Tuesday night to enjoy while watching videos with her sister, Renee, and her 4-year-old neice.

Castanheeira said she took a big bite and then felt something moving in her mouth.

"I look on the table and on the chocolate, and there's a maggot walking around," she said. "It's really disgusting."

The sisters said they found maggots in each of their chocolate bars. They said they found some that were very small and crawling and others had yet to hatch.

The sisters are so sickened, they went to the emergency room. They said the child is convinced there are bugs walking around in her stomach.

"We're investigating, obviously," said Master Foods USA, the producer of the chocolate. "And we're really sorry. Maggots are a result of fly larvae and could happen in a matter of days after our products have left our factories."

"When I think about it, I still feel it on my tongue," Castanheeira said. "I can't eat chocolate no more."

Castanheeira said she bought the candy at a Shell gas station. She said all the candy is off the shelves because she went back and bought it all to see if it was infested.

A state health investigator has been assigned to the case and will check out the candy bars as well.

[martin_fierro]

Bug banquet is a tasty success

Top fund-raiser in Wayne Memorial High contest gets to eat the most dried insects

By Amy Hoover / Special to The Detroit News

Teacher Mark Goosby took first place in the effort to raise money for science projects. His prize: 47 fried wax worms. "I'm retired from the Army; this doesn't even bother me."

Hidden protein

While most people don't eat platefuls of insects for dinner, bugs and bug parts already are a common part of our diet. Here's what the government allows in common food products:

* Apple butter: 5 insects per 100 grams

* Berries: 4 larvae per 500 grams or 10 whole insects per 500 grams

* Ground paprika: 75 insect fragments per 25 grams

* Chocolate: 80 microscopic insect fragments per 100 grams

* Canned sweet corn: two 3mm-long larvae, cast skins or fragments

* Cornmeal: 1 insect per 50 grams

* Canned mushrooms: 20 maggots per 100 grams

* Peanut butter: 60 fragments per 100 grams (136 per lb.)

* Tomato paste, pizza and other sauces: 30 eggs per 100 grams or 2 maggots per 100 grams

* Wheat flour: 75 insect fragments per 50 grams

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition; Food Defect Action Levels

WAYNE -- The red-checked tablecloth and a picnic basket were there, but this wasn't your typical picnic.

First, it was in the center of a school gym, in the middle of a pep rally. Second, the menu consisted of dried bugs.

Instead of collecting the usual soup labels and box tops, faculty and students at Wayne Memorial High School turned to an unusual form of fund raising: a contest to see who would have to eat the most bugs.

Call it a high-school version of the gross-out television show "Fear Factor."

For Robin Thomas, a science teacher at Wayne, the contest was a way to get students enthusiastic about raising money for the ecology club and class terrariums.

"We found a catalog with edible bugs in it, then I heard someone mention 'Fear Factor,' and it kind of all fit together," said Thomas.

And what exactly are edible bugs?

"The bugs we're going to use are chocolate-covered crickets and larvae, as well as another kind of larvae that's seasoned with barbecue or Mexican flavoring," Thomas said. "We also have fried termites, a delicacy one of our teachers brings back from Nigeria."

About eight teachers and several of Thomas' ecology students volunteered to eat the insects at the school's inaugural Beach Bug Banquet. Then students "voted" with their contributions, and the volunteer who raised the most ate the most.

The contest was the latest effort by Wayne Memorial's teachers and faculty to interact with their students.

From pie-eating to tug-of-war contests, the staff gets involved.

"We do everything we can to get the kids involved in activities," said Assistant Principal Chris Bak. "One of our goals has always been to get kids involved in co-curricular activities.

"Our school's motto is PRIDE -- Participating Individuals Dedicated to Excellence."

Research from the Michigan Department of Education shows that the most important single factor in improving student achievement is teacher quality. At Wayne Memorial, a good teacher, among other things, eats bugs.

"It's a way to get kids excited abut school and discover that they can learn and have fun," said Ed McGovern, social studies teacher at Wayne and second-place winner in the contest last Thursday. "It's good for them to realize that teachers can actually like their jobs."

While McGovern was runner-up in the contest, student monitor Mark Goosby had the dubious honor of first place. The prize: a snack of 47 fried wax worms.

Goosby wasn't fazed: "I'm retired from the Army; this doesn't even bother me."

High school junior Brooke Hester, one of Thomas' students, came in first place for the youth. She ended up noshing on six larvae.

Hester understands how teacher involvement can make an impact.

"It makes school more interesting," she said. "When teachers get more involved the kids tend to like them more." The contest raised $701 for the ecology club, money that will be used toward terrarium equipment and a class field trip. Thomas said the event was so popular she plans on making it an annual event, but with live bugs next year.

She agrees that it's instances like the bug contest that shows students they care, just one ingredient in what makes a good teacher.

"I think that a good teacher is one who goes out of their way to make a connection with their kids on a personal level," she said. "Finding out what interests them and focusing on that to draw out their success."

[vetvetdoug]

Mega LOL!!!!

[happinesswithoutpeace]

"Soon we'll hear about a lawsuit from Mr. Castanheeira, claiming " a loss of intimacy ".


Brutal.

[Salvey]

Happened to me over 50 years ago. I believe the candy was called Peanut Chews (not sure about that).

[r5boston]

What ?? Maggots?? This must be French Chocolate

[Catphish]

I had this happen in my cereal as a kid. A couple exclamations of "how gross!", a few fake gags for sympathy that didn't work and I was on my way - no news stories, no lawsuits or traumatic hospital visits, however. Probably the old man at the stationary store left his chocolate bars on the shelf too long - "Are our children safe?" - News at 11:00. Ridiculous "story".

[EBH]

Yes, it is common for meal moths to infest chocolates or nut bearing candies. That is one of the reasons there is a shelf life on packages.

Years ago I ran a small drug store and the chocolates in the candy aisle bacame infested with meal moth. When you shop and see those little moths flitting around a store...there's an infestation somewhere. After the discovery and initial disposal of all the candy(15ft. section) I would go over and randomly open candy bars to check the candy. There are still some candies I won't purchase because they are prone to being infested.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Canned mushrooms: 20 maggots per 100 grams

I've never knowingly come across a maggot in canned mushrooms. How big are they?

[ViLaLuz]

I got a box of Godiva chocolate for Valentines Day a few years ago. Opened it and it was infested with tiny brown ants.

[HiTech RedNeck]

the chocolate covered ants escaped!

[MaryFromMichigan]

There are still some candies I won't purchase because they are prone to being infested.

Which ones?

[martin_fierro]

Well, 20 maggots per 100 grams is what the government allows there, not necessarily what appears there.

[Dudoight]

Yes...exactly what I think. Nice to see you support my theory. LOL. Its a Wendy's Finger attempt. Hope they get the same consequences.

[dennisw]

They can hire one of the maggots to be their lawyer for the inevitable lawsuit.

[martin_fierro]

Oh, they say they're confused, but I bet they know exactly what they're doing.

< |:)~

[joonbug]

Don't maggots require dead flesh? Wouldn't expect them in a candy bar.

[dennisw]

LAS VEGAS / Wendy's diner waives extradition -- will stand trial in San Jose / Held without bail in Las Vegas, suspect denies placing finger Anna Ayala, wearing a dark blue jail uniform, waits for a hearing in Las Vegas Justice Court. Associated Press photo by Joe Cavaretta

[dennisw]

Soon after she said she found the finger, Ayala retained a San Jose civil attorney and announced on national television her intention to sue Wendy's.

Police suspicion of Ayala became public when detectives served a search warrant at her Las Vegas home on April 6. After the mounting police and media scrutiny, Ayala announced she would not file a claim against Wendy's.

Police have depicted Ayala as a swindler who has filed several civil claims in recent years, seeking cash settlements from a variety of businesses. Prosecutors have also charged Ayala with grand theft in an unrelated case in which she allegedly cheated a woman out of $11,000 during the sale of a mobile home.

Ayala is currently being held without bail in Nevada.

[niteowl77]

My dad and some friends stumbled across a case of unopened candy bars back in the late 1930's, and to his dismay, they proved to be fairly wormy. Despite being poor as dirt, he declined to partake, but a less squeamish buddy consumed his fill. Since hearing that story as a lad, I've known that there might be a surprise in a candy bar. Not a maggot, mind you, but some sort of worm or larvae, or what have you. Generally, it was chalked it up to age/poor storage, and that was about that... but in those days, we hadn't caught on to the magic combination of media and lawyers.

Hopefully, this woman doesn't closely examine asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, or much of anything else, because if she does, she won't be able to eat nothin' no more.