| Cheese fly | |
|---|---|
| |
| Illustration of Piophila casei | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Piophilidae |
| Genus: | Piophila |
| Species: | P. casei
|
| Binomial name | |
| Piophila casei | |
The cheese fly, cheese skipper, or ham skipper (Piophila casei) is a species of fly from the family Piophilidae whose larvae are known to infest cured meats, smoked or salted fish, cheeses and carrion. On the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, the larvae are intentionally introduced into pecorino cheese to produce the characteristic casu martzu. If consumed by humans, the larvae have a chance to survive in the intestine, causing enteric myiasis,[1] though no such cases have been linked to casu martzu dishes.[2]
- ^ Peckenscneider, L.E.; Polorny, C.; Hellwig, C.A. (May 17, 1952). "Intestinal infestation with maggots of the cheese fly (Piophila casei)". JAMA. 149 (3): 262–263. doi:10.1001/jama.1952.72930200005011b. PMID 14927333.
- ^ Petroni. "Casu marzu: The world’s ‘most dangerous’ cheese", CNN Travel, 18 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2024.