Posted on 10/09/2012 9:23:17 AM PDT by DogByte6RER
Man dies after live roach-eating contest in Fla.
MIAMI (AP) — A contestant in a roach-eating contest who downed dozens of live bugs and worms collapsed and died shortly after winning the contest in South Florida, authorities say.
About 30 contestants ingested the insects during Friday night's contest at Ben Siegel Reptile Store in Deerfield Beach about 40 miles north of Miami. The grand prize was a python.
Edward Archbold, 32, of West Palm Beach became ill shortly after the contest ended and collapsed outside the store, according to a Broward Sheriff's Office statement released Monday. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Authorities were awaiting results of an autopsy to determine a cause of death.
The sheriff's office said none of the other contestants fell ill.
"Unless the roaches were contaminated with some bacteria or other pathogens, I don't think that cockroaches would be unsafe to eat," said Michael Adams, professor of entomology at the University of California at Riverside. He said he has never heard of someone dying after consuming roaches.
"Some people do have allergies to roaches," he added, "but there are no toxins in roaches or related insects."
There was no updated phone number listed for Archbold in West Palm Beach.
"We feel terribly awful," said store owner Ben Siegel, who added that Archbold did not appear to be sick before the contest.
"He looked like he just wanted to show off and was very nice," Siegel said, adding that Archbold was "the life of the party."
A statement from Siegel's attorney said all the participants signed waivers "accepting responsibility for their participation in this unique and unorthodox contest."
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
This is why I avoid all-you-can-eat roach buffets.
Yep - I'm guessing these roaches weren't "farm-raised"...
This reminds me, however, of when our young kids decided to raise Madagascar hissing cockroaches. Once the kids discovered the secret to productivity — let them live in their own accumulated filth — we had about 150 of the big guys, some three inches long.
Unfortunately Dad accidentally left the roach tub outdoors during one of our rare frosts, resulting in a roach catastrophe.
I have seen these Madagascar hissing roaches numerous times on display at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park (sic) near where I live.
Unfortunately these hissers are kept behind thick glass in landscaped exhibits.
I take it they really do hiss ... are they loud? Is it a constant hissing? Just wondering.
Actually, they were. According to the article:
The bugs consumed were from an inventory of insects "that are safely and domestically raised in a controlled environment as food for reptiles."
How controlled could they be as bacteria is all around us, everywhere? Who controls this a government funded zoo (yes they are so efficient and this article is so truthful/sarcasm).
“Hmmmmmm ... but whatever happened to the grand prize, the python? Was the snake awarded to the second place finisher? Or, did the python just slither away? “
Well, first they had to get the corpse out of the python...
“I don’t think that cockroaches would be unsafe to eat”
On top of that, they are protein-rich! :-)
These animals are raised for animal food, and are not fed a diet of garbage. I don't imagine it would be difficult to keep them reasonably free of dangerous death-causing bacteria. I seriously doubt they are government funded.
From the article:
"Unless the roaches were contaminated with some bacteria or other pathogens, I don't think that cockroaches would be unsafe to eat," said Michael Adams, professor of entomology at the University of California at Riverside. He said he has never heard of someone dying after consuming roaches.
How controlled could these filthy roaches be as bacteria is all around us, everywhere, and these roaches love bacteria? Who controls this a government funded zoo (yes they are so efficient and this article is so truthful/sarcasm)
“At least he died doing something he loved.”
Thanks for the Coke Zero sinus rinse!
You buy the propaganda that animals can not be bad and that humans are the problem .This is from the same scientists that brought us the hoax of global warming. guess you believe global warming, Peta, greenpeace,AP , all these leftist propaganda entities. don’t make me laugh.
roaches are filthy, bacteria is ALL around us , EVERYWHERE.
File it under culling the herd.
I can’t believe he ate the whoooole thing!
I think you maybe have a bug/germ phobia. I have been buying rats to feed my daughter’s ball python for years. They are specially raised and humanely killed so that they do not pose an infection risk to the pet reptiles who eat them.
I don’t imagine that it would that difficult to breed and raise cockroaches for pet food in the same manner. You can find them for sale online by Googling “feeder roaches.”
"Unorthodox" is an understatement! Someone should Siegel that cockroaches aren't kosher. (are they?)
Prayers for his family.
As for me, I will continue to have mine with milk and sugar.
Just drive to the Everglades. All the free pythons you desire.
You forgot to emphasize the word, 'accidentally'. ;-)
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