# bug in food, sue? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 13, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158 "2014-12-13T21:27:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tansi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/db5fbb/32.png) [@tansi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tansi)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/1 "2014-12-13T21:27:53Z")
found a bug in my cereal this morning, nearly added a little meat to my breakfast. can i sue, or is it just a joke? Tansi ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/2 "2014-12-13T21:41:07Z")
You can always sue anyone, but can you do so successfully? Grain beetles are common in certain grains, such as oatmeal and grits. The eggs may already be present when you bought them. I have had no problems with oat meal, but have found some in grits. Therefore, I put such grains in the freezer for a day to kill the eggs or larvae (if present). I’ve also had beetles in dry cat foods, and put them in the freezer for a day before opening. The USDA allows a certain amount of insect matter in these foods. They are safe to eat and in some societies are considered a delicacy. What are your damages? Mental anguish? ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/3 "2014-12-13T21:42:49Z")
If you complain to the company, they might send you some coupons or something. That’s better than nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/4 "2014-12-13T22:06:03Z")
You might want to see what the Food and Drug Administration has decided is the allowable amount of “[natural or unavoidable defects](natural or unavoidable defects)” in food. Or, you might not want to see it.:eek: ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/5 "2014-12-13T22:15:46Z")
Doubtful, unless you can prove that you were harmed or damaged as a result. Eating a bug won’t hurt you, and as already pointed out you most likely ingest lots of bug parts and rodent hairs in your food every day. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/6 "2014-12-13T22:18:22Z")
Much quicker than freezing – just spread the grain out on a big plate and set it outdoors in direct sunshine for a few minutes, the bugs will all walk away. Stir it around a couple times if necessary, in case some are hiding. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/7 "2014-12-13T22:24:47Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > If you complain to the company, they might send you some coupons for more bugs? ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/8 "2014-12-13T22:28:23Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Much quicker than freezing – just spread the grain out on a big plate and set it outdoors in direct sunshine for a few minutes, the bugs will all walk away. Stir it around a couple times if necessary, in case some are hiding. What if there are just eggs there now? ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/9 "2014-12-13T22:28:50Z")
…and don’t call me Sue. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/10 "2014-12-13T23:01:33Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > What if there are just eggs there now? Even if you can see them (doubtful), they will certainly do you no more harm than the eggs of chickens. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/11 "2014-12-13T23:37:09Z")
Legal advice is best suited to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/12 "2014-12-13T23:53:36Z")
Huh. I’ve never found any kind of creature in grains. One more thing to add to the fear list. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/13 "2014-12-14T00:53:36Z")
Was it a newly opened box? If not, perhaps it came from an already-existing infestation in your house. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/14 "2014-12-14T01:13:31Z")
Take it back to the store (the unused portion, not what you poured in the bowl or whatever). Any reputable store will either refund you or replace the product. If not, don’t shop there anymore. I once found a giant clump of mold in a bag of shredded cheese that I’d just opened and which was nowhere near expiring. Shit happens, they replaced the bag with a good one, all was well. ---
**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/15 "2014-12-14T01:27:32Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Take it back to the store (the unused portion, not what you poured in the bowl or whatever). Any reputable store will either refund you or replace the product. If not, don’t shop there anymore. > > I once found a giant clump of mold in a bag of shredded cheese that I’d just opened and which was nowhere near expiring. Shit happens, they replaced the bag with a good one, all was well. It is always good to report it to the manufacturer as well…there may have been a break down in their processes and they can investigate if you have the code information from the package. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/16 "2014-12-14T13:01:26Z")
> [@tansi](#): > > can i sue, or is it just a joke? > > Tansi Just a joke. Sorry tansi. I thought you’d see the humor, plus I thought you’d get a kick outa seeing a Madagascar hissing cockroach. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/17 "2014-12-14T13:32:02Z")
Sue??!? Hell, in northeastern Thailand that’s considered value for money. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/18 "2014-12-14T20:42:41Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Was it a newly opened box? If not, perhaps it came from an already-existing infestation in your house. Grain beetles and/or weevils are common in grains. They infest grains not cupboards. Their eggs may be in the grain but hatch while in your house. I’ve noticed that in unopened dry cat food (containing grains), and the suckers bore a hole in the bottom of the bag and crawled out. So now I freeze all new bags of cat food as well as grits and oat meal. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/19 "2014-12-15T18:55:36Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Much quicker than freezing – just spread the grain out on a big plate and set it outdoors in direct sunshine for a few minutes, the bugs will all walk away. Stir it around a couple times if necessary, in case some are hiding. And so will the grain if you live in an area with exotic creatures like birds and squirrels. Or do you stay on hand to watch the alleged insect exodus? ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158/20 "2014-12-15T18:58:38Z")
> [@tansi](#): > > found a bug in my cereal this morning, nearly added a little meat to my breakfast. > > can i sue, or is it just a joke? > > Tansi You can certainly sue, but if that bug’s lawyer is better than yours you may lose the whole house… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-in-food-sue/707158.md?page=2)