What is The Most Disgusting Food in The World?

What Is The Most Disgusting Food In The World? It’s a question that sparks debate and curiosity, diving into the depths of culinary experiences that challenge our palates and cultural norms. FOODS.EDU.VN is here to guide you through the fascinating world of unusual foods, exploring the science behind disgust and showcasing delicacies that push the boundaries of what we consider edible. Delve into bizarre dishes, learn to appreciate unconventional flavors, and find recipes that’ll intrigue even the most adventurous eater.

1. Understanding Disgust in Food

Disgust is a complex emotion, playing a crucial role in our survival. It warns us against potentially harmful foods, often triggered by strong smells from fermentation, textures, or moral considerations linked to how the food is sourced. According to Paul Rozin, a psychology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, disgust is a learned response shaped by culture and experience.

• Types of Disgust:

  • Smell: Strong odors, such as those found in fermented foods like washed-rind cheeses.
  • Taste: Intense flavors, such as the extreme saltiness of licorice.
  • Texture: Unpleasant mouthfeels, like the gooey consistency of durian.
  • Moral Disgust: Ethical concerns about food production, such as force-feeding ducks for Foie Gras.

• The Evolutionary Role of Disgust:

  • Disgust protects us from consuming dangerous or spoiled food.
  • It is triggered by foods that deviate significantly from our cultural norms.
  • Fermented foods can be seen as disgusting because they resemble rotten food.

2. The Subjectivity of “Disgusting” Food

The perception of what is delicious or disgusting is highly personal and shaped by our cultural background. Our familiarity with certain cuisines influences our acceptance of different foods. For example, a Swede might find French cuisine more palatable than Peruvian food, while a Thai person might have a different perspective altogether.

• Cultural Influence:

  • Our upbringing and cultural exposure greatly influence our food preferences.
  • Foods from geographically or culturally similar regions are often more accepted.

• Subjective Experiences:

  • The following list is compiled from personal experiences and feedback from visitors to the Disgusting Food Museum.
  • It is not meant to be an objective ranking, but rather a reflection of diverse reactions.

• Changing Preferences:

  • Many foods once considered delicacies are now seen as unappetizing, even within their originating cultures.
  • Culinary tastes evolve over time.

3. Gomutra: Cow Urine from India

Gomutra, or cow urine, has been used in India for thousands of years for its therapeutic benefits in Ayurvedic medicine. Pregnant cow urine is considered particularly potent due to its high hormone and mineral content.

• Uses and Claims:

  • Treats conditions like psoriasis, leprosy, fevers, liver ailments, and cancer.
  • Proposed as a cleaning agent for government offices in India.

• First-Hand Experiences:

  • The museum director at the Disgusting Food Museum tried Gomutra, describing it as having a strong barnyard aroma and a harsh taste.
  • The experience left an unpleasant aftertaste that lingered throughout the day.

4. Ttongsul: Ancient Korean Feces Wine

Ttongsul is a traditional Korean medicine with approximately 9% alcohol content. It involves fermenting the feces of a human child with rice and yeast.

• Preparation:

  • Child feces (4-7 years old) is refrigerated, mixed with water, and fermented overnight.
  • The mixture is combined with boiled non-glutinous and glutinous rice, along with yeast.

• Fermentation Process:

  • The mixture ferments for at least seven days in a clay pot at 30-37 degrees Celsius.
  • Fermentation activates beneficial bacteria and eliminates harmful bacteria.

• Claimed Benefits:

  • Cures pain, broken bones, bruises, inflammation, and even epilepsy.

• Taste and Appearance:

  • The resulting liquid is yellow-brownish, resembling sewer slime or vomit, and may contain small pieces of feces.
  • The taste is sour and similar to rice wine, with a faint feces smell.

• Modern Relevance:

  • Ttongsul is not used in modern-day South Korea and was an unusual remedy even a century ago.

5. Baby Mouse Wine: Guangzhou, China

Baby Mouse Wine involves drowning at least a dozen newborn, hairless mice in rice wine, which is then matured for at least a year.

• Preparation and Use:

  • The mice must be blind and hairless.
  • Drunk as a health tonic for asthma and liver diseases, not as a recreational beverage.

• Taste and Smell:

  • The wine tastes like gasoline with a putrid aftertaste of rotting animals.
  • The smell is described as incredibly strong and putrid.

• Personal Experience:

  • Museum staff have tried it multiple times and often sift the liquid to remove pieces of baby mouse skin.

6. Monkey Brain: Ancient China

Monkey brain consumption has historical mentions, including in the Manchu Han Imperial banquet of the Qing empire.

• Historical Accounts:

  • Gao Yuan describes restaurants in Guangzhou that served monkey brains at special tables.
  • There is debate whether “monkey brains” in historical texts refer to actual brains or the Hericium mushroom.

• Legends and Myths:

  • Legend says Wu Sangui introduced the Qing soldiers to live monkey brain consumption after victories.
  • Zhang HaiOu’s book mentions a general in the 16th century who described live monkey brain as tasty.

• Modern Existence:

  • The existence of monkey brain restaurants has been anecdotally confirmed by museum visitors, but remains unverified.

7. Virgin Boy Eggs: Dongyang City, China

Virgin boy eggs, or “tong zi dan,” are eggs boiled in the urine of young boys, typically under the age of ten.

• Preparation:

  • Urine is collected from schools and markets.
  • Eggs are boiled in the urine until hard, then cracked and boiled further to soak in the urine.

• Tradition and Beliefs:

  • A spring tradition listed as part of Dongyang’s local intangible cultural heritage.
  • Believed to protect against heat stroke, decrease body heat, promote blood circulation, and reinvigorate the body.

• Smell and Taste:

  • The eggs have a strong urine smell.
  • The taste is described as delicate, salty, and addictive.

• Why Young Boys?:

  • There is no clear explanation for why the urine of young boys is specifically used; it is simply part of the tradition.

8. Casu Marzu: Sardinia, Italy

Casu Marzu is a Sardinian sheep’s milk cheese that is deliberately infested with live insect larvae.

• Preparation:

  • Pecorino cheese is cut open and left outside to attract cheese flies (Piophila casei), which lay eggs inside.
  • The larvae feed on the cheese, breaking down its fats with their enzymes.

• Eating Experience:

  • Eaten with the live larvae, which can jump, requiring diners to protect their eyes.
  • The cheese has a pungent smell, burns the tongue, and leaves a strong aftertaste.

• Risks and Legality:

  • Eating live maggots can be risky, as they can survive inside the intestines and bore through intestinal walls.
  • Banned in the EU, with a fine of €40,000 for both sellers and buyers.

• Variations:

  • Similar worm cheeses exist in Corsica (Casgiu Merzu) and Egypt (Mish).

9. Kiviak: South-Western Greenland

Kiviak involves stuffing a seal with up to 500 small arctic birds (Little Auk) and fermenting it for months.

• Preparation:

  • A freshly disemboweled seal is stuffed with birds, sewn shut, and sealed with seal fat.
  • It is buried and left to ferment for 3 to 18 months.

• Eating Method:

  • Eaten by biting off the bird’s head and sucking out the juices or eating the bird whole.

• Taste and Tradition:

  • The taste is described as similar to Gorgonzola cheese.
  • This preservation method helped Greenlanders survive harsh winters and food shortages.

• Safety Concerns:

  • Only Auks can be used; other birds do not ferment properly.
  • In 2013, using Eider birds led to botulism and several deaths.

10. Surströmming: Northern Sweden

Surströmming is Baltic Sea herring fermented in brine for six months, known for being one of the worst-smelling foods in the world.

• Preparation:

  • Herring is caught in the spring and fermented in brine.
  • Continues to ferment in the can.

• Eating Method:

  • Eaten with flatbread, potatoes, and onions, washed down with schnapps.
  • Typically eaten outdoors due to its strong smell.

• Historical Roots:

  • The tradition dates back to at least the 16th century.
  • Evidence of fish fermentation in Sweden dates back 9,200 years.

• The Fermentation Process:

  • A two-part process where the blood is drawn out, and the herring is fermented using autolysis.
  • Lactic acid enzymes and bacteria form acids that prevent decomposition.

• Museum Experience:

  • Responsible for approximately 50% of all vomits at the Disgusting Food Museum.

11. Balut: The Philippines

Balut is a developing bird embryo, usually a duck, incubated for 14 to 21 days, then boiled and eaten from the shell.

• Preparation:

  • Fertilized eggs are buried in baskets in the sun and left to incubate.
  • The eggs are checked after nine days to see the duckling developing inside.

• Eating Method:

  • The amniotic fluid is drunk straight from the shell, and the yolk and embryo are eaten.
  • The bones and beak are soft enough to be eaten.

• Variations:

  • The incubation time determines the duckling’s maturation, varying from the five-day Penoy to the 19-21 day Hot Vit Lon.

• ColloidalDispersion:

  • The water molecules of the amniotic fluid undergo ColloidalDispersion with the solids from the duckling.

• Safety Concerns:

  • The temperature and storage conditions ideal for duckling development are also ideal for bacteria like Salmonella enterica.
  • Fecal particles can be embedded within the shell.

12. Stinky Tofu: China, Hong Kong, Taiwan

Stinky tofu is fermented tofu with a strong, offensive odor, popular as deep-fried street food.

• Preparation:

  • Tofu is fermented in a strong brine of fermented milk, vegetables, and meat.
  • Typically deep-fried and served with spicy sauces.

• Smell and Taste:

  • The smell is described as rotten garbage, stinky feet, rotten meat, raw sewage, and baby poo.
  • The taste is milder than the smell, with a slight eggy flavor and a urine-like aftertaste.

• Historical Origins:

  • Dates back to the Qing dynasty.
  • Legend has it that Wang Zhi He, a tofu merchant, accidentally created it after failing imperial exams.

13. Su Callu Sardu: Sardinia, Italy

Su Callu Sardu is a traditional Sardinian cheese made in a goat kid’s stomach.

• Preparation:

  • The goat kid is slaughtered after drinking milk.
  • The milk is filtered and poured back into the abomasum (fourth stomach), which contains rennet.
  • The stomach is rubbed with salt and hung to dry for months.

• Eating Method:

  • After maturation, the stomach is sliced open, and the cheese is eaten on bread.

• Taste:

  • Described as a combination of gasoline and ammonia mixed with wax.
  • Starts with a goat cheese flavor, followed by an acidic aftertaste resembling stomach acid or vomit.

14. Frog Juice: Peru

Frog juice, or Jugo de Rana, is a smoothie made from blended frogs, water, and other ingredients.

• Preparation:

  • The frog is killed, skinned, and cleaned.
  • Blended with water, quail eggs, honey, spices, and local plants.

• Claimed Benefits:

  • Touted as a healthy aphrodisiac energy drink.
  • Claimed to cure anemia, bronchitis, asthma, impotence, osteoporosis, and other ailments.

• Taste:

  • The taste is dominated by maca, a native root from the Andes.
  • The juice is earthy, malty, and has a blended frog-like color.

• Endangered Species:

  • Made from the Titicaca frog, which is critically endangered.

15. Sheep Eyeball Juice: Mongolia

Sheep eyeball juice, also known as Mongolian Mary, is pickled sheep eyeballs placed in tomato juice.

• Preparation:

  • Pickled eyeballs are placed in tomato juice.
  • Can also be added raw or boiled.

• Eating Method:

  • The eyeball bursts in your mouth, releasing the gel-like vitreous humor.

• Claimed Benefits:

  • Known as a hangover cure.
  • Eyeballs are high in antioxidants, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A.

16. Hákarl: Iceland

Hákarl is Greenland shark meat that is fermented for months to reduce its toxicity.

• Preparation:

  • The shark meat is left to rot in the ground for several months.
  • It is then hung to dry for another five months.

• Eating Method:

  • Small cubes are served on toothpicks and washed down with Black Death akvavit.

• Taste and Smell:

  • The pungent smell of death and ammonia is worse than the taste.
  • Described as “chewing a urine-infested mattress.”

• Shark Toxicity:

  • Greenland sharks do not have a urinary tract, making their flesh toxic.
  • The fermentation process breaks down the urine and makes it safe to consume.

17. Sannakji: South Korea

Sannakji is a dish of live octopus that is killed just before serving and cut into smaller pieces.

• Preparation:

  • The octopus is killed and immediately served sliced.
  • The arms continue to move due to nerve activity.

• Safety Concerns:

  • The suction cups can stick to the inside of the throat, causing suffocation.
  • Approximately six deaths per year occur due to this.

• Claimed Benefits:

  • Rumored to be good for blood sugar levels.
  • Contains high levels of energizing taurine.

18. Ikizukuri: Japan

Ikizukuri is sashimi made from living seafood, typically fish, but sometimes lobster, frog, octopus, or shrimp.

• Preparation:

  • The fish is served on ice with the cut-off meat placed on top of the body.
  • Some flesh is cut into thin sashimi pieces and placed on the side.

• Eating Method:

  • The eyes, gills, tail, and mouth still move as it is consumed.

• Taste:

  • Described as very fresh and intense.

• Legality:

  • Illegal in Germany and Australia.

19. Durian: Southeast Asia

Durian is known as the king of fruits, characterized by its strong, pungent odor.

• Smell:

  • Described as a mix of rotten onions and raw sewage or foul unwashed socks.
  • Some find it pleasantly sweet, while others find it repulsive.

• Restrictions:

  • Eating durian is banned on public transportation and in hotels in many areas.

• Variations:

  • Thai scientist Songpol Somsri crossbred durian varieties to produce odorless versions.

• Health Concerns:

  • Consuming durian with alcohol has been linked to deaths due to its high sulfur content affecting alcohol metabolism.

• Types of Durian:

  • There are 30 species of Durio trees and hundreds of varieties.
  • Durio zibethinus is the only type sold internationally.

20. Ortolan: France

Ortolan is a small songbird that is illegally killed and cooked in France.

• Preparation:

  • The captured birds are fattened by being kept in darkness and overfed.
  • They are drowned alive in Armagnac and cooked.

• Eating Ritual:

  • Eaten whole, feet first, with one’s head covered by a napkin to hide from God.

• Legality and Value:

  • Killing and cooking ortolans is banned across the EU.
  • A single bird can sell for £100 on the black market.

21. Fruit Bat Soup: Guam

Fruit bat soup is a dish made with fruit bats, popular in Guam.

• Preparation:

  • The bats are cooked in soup, giving off a strong urine smell during cooking.

• Health Concerns:

  • The bats accumulate toxins from eating cycad seeds, leading to Lytico-bodig disease in humans.

• Taste:

  • The meat is described as sweet and similar to chicken.

22. Snake Wine: Japan, Vietnam

Snake wine involves infusing distilled rice wine with a venomous snake.

• Preparation:

  • The snake is chilled, gutted, sewn back together, and inserted into the bottle.
  • The alcohol neutralizes the venom.

• Claimed Benefits:

  • Believed to have medicinal properties and considered an aphrodisiac.
  • Used to treat rheumatism, lumbago, and other health problems.

• Types:

  • Habashu is a type of Awamori containing a Habu snake.

23. Kopi Luwak Coffee: Indonesia

Kopi Luwak is the most expensive coffee in the world, made from coffee beans that have been eaten and excreted by civets.

• Preparation:

  • Civets eat ripe coffee cherries, and the partially digested beans are harvested from their feces.
  • Digestive enzymes are thought to give the coffee its unique aroma and flavor.

• Ethical Concerns:

  • Industrial production involves keeping civets in horrific conditions and force-feeding them coffee cherries.

24. Tarantula: Cambodia

Fried tarantula is a regional delicacy in Cambodia, especially in the town of Skuon.

• Preparation:

  • Tarantulas are bred in holes in the ground or captured in the forests.
  • They are fried until crispy.

• Eating Method:

  • The abdomen and head are crispy on the outside and gooey in the middle.

• Historical Context:

  • Tarantulas became part of the Cambodian diet during the Khmer Rouge regime when food was scarce.

25. Nattō: Japan

Nattō is fermented soybeans with a sticky texture and a strong, savory aroma.

• Preparation:

  • Soybeans are fermented with the bacterium Bacillus subtilis.
  • The beans are stirred with chopsticks to create gooey strings of slime.

• Smell and Taste:

  • The aroma is described as old cheese, old socks, or hot garbage.

• Health Benefits:

  • Has a reputation as a probiotic superfood.

26. Stinking Bishop Cheese: United Kingdom

Stinking Bishop is a British cheese known for its pungent aroma.

• Preparation:

  • Made from the milk of rare Gloucestershire cows.
  • The rind is washed in perry (an alcoholic drink) made from Stinking Bishop pears.

• Smell and Taste:

  • The smell is described as “a rugby club changing room” or a dead body.
  • The taste is pungent and meaty, with a soft and creamy texture.

27. Bävergäll: Sweden

Bävergäll is a Swedish schnapps made by infusing beaver anal glands in alcohol.

• Preparation:

  • Beavers mark their territory with urine and castoreum, a fluid produced by their anal glands.
  • The anal gland is infused in alcohol for several weeks.

• Taste and Smell:

  • The resulting schnapps is bitter with a strong taste of pine trees, tar, leather, and urine.

28. Honorable Mentions

• Bull Penis (China): Eaten for health benefits and alleged aphrodisiac effects.
• Rocky Mountain Oysters (USA): Deep-fried bull testicles.
• Shirako (Japan): Fish sperm sac filled with seminal fluid.
• Century Eggs (China): Eggs preserved in a mix of clay, ash, quicklime, and salt.

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FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Disgusting Food

1. What makes a food “disgusting”?

   • Disgust in food is a complex emotion influenced by cultural norms, personal experiences, and evolutionary factors. It often involves strong smells, unpleasant textures, or moral concerns about how the food is sourced.

2. Is disgust in food subjective?

   • Yes, the perception of what is disgusting is highly subjective. It varies from person to person and is heavily influenced by cultural background and upbringing.

3. Why do some cultures eat foods that others find disgusting?

   • Cultural norms, historical practices, and environmental factors play a significant role in shaping food preferences. What is considered a delicacy in one culture may be deemed unappetizing in another.

4. Can you overcome aversions to certain foods?

   • Yes, with gradual exposure and a willingness to try new things, it is possible to overcome aversions to certain foods. Understanding the cultural significance and preparation methods can also help.

5. Are there any health risks associated with eating “disgusting” foods?

   • Some foods, like Casu Marzu and Hákarl, carry potential health risks due to bacteria or toxins. Proper preparation and sourcing are essential to minimize these risks.

6. How does the Disgusting Food Museum choose its exhibits?

   • The museum selects exhibits based on a combination of personal experiences, visitor feedback, and cultural significance. The goal is to showcase a diverse range of foods that challenge conventional notions of edibility.

7. What is the most common reaction to the foods at the Disgusting Food Museum?

   • Reactions vary, but common responses include curiosity, amusement, and, in some cases, disgust or even vomiting. Surströmming is particularly notorious for causing strong reactions.

8. Are there any foods that are universally considered disgusting?

   • While subjectivity plays a significant role, certain foods like those involving human waste (e.g., Ttongsul) tend to evoke disgust across most cultures.

9. How do preservation methods affect the perception of food?

   • Preservation methods like fermentation can create strong smells and textures that some find repulsive, while others appreciate the unique flavors and extended shelf life.

10. Where can I learn more about unusual foods and culinary traditions?

    • Visit foods.edu.vn for detailed articles, recipes, and insights into diverse culinary traditions from around the world.