Casu Marzu: Sardinia’s Maggot-Infused Cheese at Europe’s Regulatory Crossroads

Cas u marzu is a Sardinian pecorino deliberately opened to invite Piophila casei larvae, creating a cheese with thousands of live maggots that are eaten while still wriggling. It has been banned across Europe for containing live larvae, yet it remains listed as a traditional Italian product and is produced and traded privately. Efforts to legalize it under controlled rules have stalled, as regulators cite safety concerns tied to open-air production and uncertain health risks. A 2005 Sassari study showed inconsistent colonization under controlled conditions, and climate shifts plus enforcement gaps further reduce supply, leaving the cheese caught between culinary tradition and European food-safety standards.