A new study, published in PeerJ Life and Environment, aims to identify the species of larvae found in mezcal bottles. Mezcal is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave. It is usually eaten with a slice of orange and a grain of insect salt, a mixture of ground peppers, salt, and a moth-like larvae called Hypopta agavis.
A study published in PeerJ Life & Environment analyzed larval species found in bottles of Mezcal, a distilled alcoholic beverage made from agave. Somewhat unexpectedly, the study found that all the larvae belonged to a single moth species, C. Redtenbacheri, it is one of the most commonly consumed edible insects in Mexico.
Are people eating the larvae of the jumping butterfly Aegiale hesperiaris, or the larvae of the moth Comadia redtenbacheri, which is thought to be declining in numbers in recent years? Or is the bug the larvae of one weevil or another unidentified insect species? The researchers used DNA-based identification to analyze the larvae inside 21 commercially available mezcal wines to determine their identity. Of the 21 larvae that underwent DNA extraction, 18 produced DNA sequences suitable for analysis.
Mezcal is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from the agave plant native to Mexico. It is similar to tequila but is made from a greater variety of agave plants and is often produced using traditional methods such as underground pit furnaces and stone mills.
All larvae are superficially very similar, with distinct cephalic sacs and forelegs, which are characteristic of lepidopteran larvae. The specimen was obtained from mezcal bottles purchased between 2018 and 2022. Some are white, others are pink.
This result was a bit unexpected. Historically, about 63 species of larvae, or "worms," have been consumed in Mexico, including A. agave (A. agave Hesperiaris), given its name, means that it is included in agave and other mezca.
The study found that all larvae were a single moth species, affirming that C. C. The importance of Redtenbacheri to the Mezcal winemaking industry. The larvae of C. redtenbacheri are among the most popular edible insects in Mexico.
A close-up image shows a bug inside a bottle of "Lajita Reposado" mezcal. Source: Photo by Akito Y. Kawahara
The addition of larvae to Mexican beverages and foods (salt, decorations, powders, etc.) is driven by health benefits and the belief that these larvae contain aphrodisiac properties. This trend leads to greater demand, putting pressure on local larval populations.
In response to the decline in the number of Mezcal larvae, researchers have begun developing methods to grow these larvae in captivity.