For decades, people have seen a worm in their bottles of mezcal and some have even warned us that we should never eat the worm. You can now relax and you no longer need to worry about eating one of these because the worms have now been identified!
Mezcals are distilled Mexican alcoholic beverages. While tequila is one of the most popular mezcals, there are other forms of mezcal that have been part of the Mexican culture since the 17th century. Sometime in the 1940s, distillers started placing mezcal worms (aka: “tequila worms”) inside the bottles. No one knows for sure, but these worms may have just been a marketing gimmick, or a way to differentiate mezcal from tequila. More that 70% of mezcals are made in Oaxaca, Mexico, and they are now exported around the world.
Despite mezcal’s popularity, the identity of the worm was still unknown. Researchers at the University of Florida decided it was time to find the answer. They purchased as many mezcals as possible from North American distributers and distilleries in Oaxaca.
21 specimens were extracted from the bottles and subjected to DNA extraction. 18 of them yielded DNA sequences that were suitable for analysis. The team found that in all cases, it was the larva of an agave redworm moth (Comadia redtenbacheri).
The larvae of agave redworm moths feed on the agave plants. At bachelorette parties in Mexico, it is a historical tradition for the maid of honor to eat the mezcal worm. The larvae are also used as food in Mexican cuisine.
Well, I hope that all of you feel better now that you know what type of worm is in your bottle of mezcal. Do you feel safe and are you going to eat the worm next time you open a bottle? Go ahead and enjoy yourself – I’ll leave all of that fun for you!
