‘The Most Disgusting Thing Ever’: Florida Woman Opens Chipotle Bowl. Then She Takes A Closer Look At The Little Black Dots

If you’ve visited or lived in Florida for any amount of time, it’s clear that the state  has some special features. In addition to extraordinary beaches, magical wetlands, and fantastic nightlife, the state has an abundance of insects. From prehistoric-looking flying cockroaches (palmetto bugs) to the biggest spiders in the U.S. (banana spiders), battling Florida bugs can be a full-time job. They’re everywhere—even in one customer’s Chipotle bowl, apparently. 

Andrea (@TheClayTheatre) of Fleming Island, Florida, opened her Chipotle bowl, only to find bugs in the lettuce.

“Chipotle in Fleming Island on 220 ruined my day,” the text overlay on the TikTok, which has been viewed over 395,000 times, reads. 

In Andrea’s video, she peels the lid off her Chipotle bowl and points out several black dots, which she identifies as bugs. She also points out a small worm. 

In a TikTok direct message to Futbol Chronicle, Andrea explained that initially, she didn’t think it was a big deal. 

“At first I didn’t notice anything wrong with it, and just as I was going to take a bite, I saw the big one in the middle. And I was so hungry, I thought maybe it just landed there like a fruit fly and was thinking of shooing it away,” she said.

However, just before she started eating, she said she realized that the “fruit fly” on her lettuce wasn’t alone. “That’s when I noticed the others. The larvae and the dead ones. There were so many [at least 20] I didn’t keep digging because I was so grossed out,” she said. 

‘Call The Health Inspector’

The internet is appalled and grossed out. One commenter suggested a direct action. “I hope you called clay county health inspector,” said Evan Hampton (@evanhamptonphoto). 

Clay County is the county where Fleming Island is located. 

Andrea assured him that she did and confirmed that to Futbol Chronicle. “I did report it to the Florida Department of Health,” she said.  

Other users offer commiseration, and less healthy but “never” buggy options. “Taco Bell may be ‘unhealthy’ but I’ve never found bugs in my chicken quesadilla [sobbing emoji, sobbing emoji] I’m so sorry,” wrote Cariad (@ink.stainedx). 

Voidsy (@voidsy._x) ups the horror quotient. “Imagine you got a burrito,” they said. 

How To Rid A Salad Of Bugs 

Everyone can probably agree that insects in salad greens is a gross but common enough problem to have. So how to prevent the situation is key. 

First off, wash and dry the salad greens. But don’t just use water and a salad spinner, advises the site Food.com. Use a solution that will kill bugs and bacteria while removing dust and dirt. There are several spray and soak methods. 

For the spray, grab a spray bottle, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon baking soda. Mix that with 1 cup of water, and spray it on veggies. Let it sit, and then rinse under cool water. 

The soak method also uses all natural ingredients. Take 1 cup of white vinegar and 4 cups of cool water, mix those together, and then soak the veggies. Then rinse them in clean, cool water.  The important part here is the ratio. For fewer veggies, just remember it’s a proportion of one to four. For example, if you have about a cup full of vegetables and only need about a cup of cleanser, use one-fourth cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water.

Another soak method uses 1 teaspoon of baking soda for every 2 cups of water. 

Sitting times for all three methods range from 15 to 20 minutes.  

The solutions work because salt, vinegar, and baking soda act as irritants to small bugs. They crawl out of their hiding places and either float to the top of a water bath or die in a salt spray. 

But creepy crawlies aren’t the only reason to wash produce. Because of the pesticides used in industrial farming, cleanliness is doubly important—especially for those pesticides that are “persistent.” These are the ones that do not break down into harmless compounds. “Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are a type of pesticide which are resistant to degradation so they remain in the environment for lengthy periods,” according to the College of Naturopathic Medicine.  

Many countries have banned POPs because they have been linked to cancer, diabetes, hormone disruption, and neurological disease. But because of their nature, they linger in the environment. Besides, no one wants to eat dusty lettuce—bugs or otherwise.

Futbol Chronicle reached out to Chipotle via its media email. We will update this if they respond.