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I've heard about people eating escargot, but are slugs just as edible?

I live in MN USA, and came across some all tan ones, but had no camera at the time.

a coder
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3 Answers3

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Slugs are not poisonous, but in the wild can pick up the parasite Angiostrongylus cantonensis, also known as rat lungworm, from rodent scat. The parasites can produce a toxic reaction that causes eosinophilic meningitis in humans.

Julie Sigwart
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    You had me dissuaded at "rat lungworm, from rodent scat." – PoloHoleSet Aug 22 '18 at 21:19
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    The answer is interesting and eating something that no one else eats is rarely a good idea, but the link only advises against eating gastropods raw (as well as a few other animals, like freshwater crabs, shrimps and frogs), and says that "you should boil such delicacies for at least three minutes, or cook them to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit [...] for at least 15 seconds to kill any worms, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention." Correctly cooked slugs might be ok, just like cooked snails are safe and enjoyed by many but raw ones are not. – A.N. Aug 24 '18 at 16:09
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As far as I can see, slugs are not used for human food.

There are a few references that can be found on the internets, but it is not common.

For example feral food is just about what I found.

in the case of snails, only a few species are used for food (in french), and they are "raised" in a safe and controlled environment.

Max
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escargot are snails stewed in broth with herbs de provence and red or white wine. I would assume that if you were going to eat slugs that you check if they are poisonous in any way.

elias altenberg
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