Imagine sitting down to enjoy a crisp, fresh salad, only to spot tiny brown spheres clinging to a lettuce leaf—enough to make anyone gag. While unsettling, these are usually harmless: insect eggs, often laid by stink bugs or other leaf-feeding insects in neat clusters or geometric patterns on broad greens like lettuce, spinach, or kale.
Leafy vegetables are particularly attractive to bugs because of their large surface area and proximity to the ground, making insect eggs on store-bought produce more common than you might expect—especially if the vegetables weren’t thoroughly washed before packaging.
Even commercial farms that use pesticides, netting, or crop rotation—and organic farms relying on natural deterrents—can’t guarantee every egg is removed from outdoor-grown produce. Pre-washed or triple-washed greens may still harbor stubborn eggs clinging to veins or undersides of leaves. While eating these eggs is generally not harmful, their presence is a sign that the produce isn’t completely clean.
To stay safe, remove any affected leaves and rinse the rest under cold water. Soaking in a vinegar-water solution can help dislodge stubborn debris. If you find eggs in a restaurant salad, politely alert the staff, request a replacement, and document the issue if necessary.
For future meals, inspect each leaf carefully, wash and soak greens, spin to remove excess water, and dry thoroughly to reduce bacteria. Finding insect eggs is unpleasant but surprisingly common—a reminder of nature’s hand in our food and the importance of careful inspection and hygiene to enjoy every bite safely.