Found a single fruit fly inside my batch of apple cider vinegar. Should I throw it all away?

Question

I'm making apple cider vinegar. I strained the scraps from the liquid and some time later, found a single fruit fly inside the jar. I took it off, but didn't throw it all away. It's been almost 5 months since it happened, but I didn't use the vinegar also. Should I throw it away or use it?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Fruit flies don't carry human diseases.

They are ok. When they walk on things we want to eat, we can still eat those things. The things don't turn bad. Really, even if the fruit are full of larvae they are still not poison. If you are hungry you can still eat them.

If the vinegar has been sitting for 6 months there are no other flies. Try a little. If you like it, use it.

Answer 2

I suspect that because you made the vinegar you are preferring to err on the side of caution. Due to the acidity the vinegar is likely safe for consumption, but if you are concerned about that I recommend using it for non edible purposes. You could use it for cleaning, herbicide, or as you have found trapping bugs!

I see no reason to throw it away.