Casu Marzu (Sardinia)

Casu Marzu, a Sardinian pecorino cheese infested with live insect larvae that can jump up to six inches, is illegal under EU food safety regulations due to its 50% risk of larval escape upon opening. The larvae, numbering over 500 per wheel, digest the cheese's fat to produce a creamy, pungent paste at a cost of €50 per kilogram. It is 30% softer than the average aged pecorino, but the extreme texture demands trained eaters to avoid injury.