CPG Sec 550.350 Figs; Fig Paste - Adulteration Involving Insect Infes (2024)

FAQs

Are figs full of wasp eggs? ›

If the wasp climbs into a female fig, she pollinates it, but cannot lay her eggs and just dies alone. Luckily for us, the female fig produces an enzyme that digests this wasp completely. The crunchy bits are seeds, not wasp parts.

As long as you're planting common fig varieties, you don't need to worry about having other trees present for pollination purposes. And rest assured, you're probably not going to be eating bugs when you're eating figs.

There are just two species native to the United States: the Florida strangler fig (Ficus aurea) and the shortleaf fig also called giant bearded fig or wild banyan tree (Ficus citrifolia). Each requires the services of one species of wasps.

The tiny fig wasps that pollinate the figs die and get totally absorbed as nutrients in the figs. They are not the kind that would sting someone. Wasp allergies apply to being stung. So, no there should not be a problem eating figs.

Wasps pollinate the majority of commercially grown figs. Yes, edible figs do include at least one dead female wasp. However, it is not quite the urban legend that fruits contain insect meat. When a female wasp dies within an edible fig, an enzyme known as ficin in the fig breaks down her carcass into protein.

When Colin Purrington looked at a sample of dried figs under a microscope recently, he answered a question that had been bugging him for years. Inside the chewy fruits, he found the shriveled remains of several very small insects, including a type of parasitic wasp.

Aphids and whiteflies also have a taste for Weeping Figs. These pests are usually found on the underside of leaves, enjoying a sap buffet. Aphids are tiny and pear-shaped, while whiteflies resemble minuscule moths. Blast them off with water or treat with neem oil or insecticidal soap.

So the answer of “Are Figs Pollinated by Wasp?” is yes in caprifigs, smyrna, san pedro types. But commercial varieties, that belong to the common type, do not require pollination by wasp. so, chances of finding a wasp inside a commercial common types fig fruits is zero.

Why can't vegans eat figs? Some vegans see the mutual relationship between wasps and figs as animal exploitation and ultimately animal consumption. They, therefore, avoid figs entirely. Most vegans, however, consider figs to be vegan and consume them.

Fig wasps aren't a threat to humans, dead or alive, and while they're integral to fig pollination, they don't contaminate the product. The tiny fig wasp can't sting humans, and evolved a long, slender ovipositor.

Are dates and figs the same thing? ›

Figs and dates are both small, sweet fruits that have similar nutritional profiles and are often eaten dried as snacks. While similar in size and flavor, figs and dates come from different plants. Figs are crunchier while dates are stickier, and dates contain more natural sugars than figs.