Muntrop: Are cicadas safe to eat? Here’s what experts say.

Before you act on a dare or try to satisfy your curiosity about eating cicadas, you should pay close attention to this warning issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“We have to say it!” the FDA posted on Twitter recently. “Don’t eat cicadas if you’re allergic to seafood as these insects share a family relation to shrimp and lobsters.”

Other health officials and insect experts agree, saying people who have allergies to seafood should not sample the red-eyed insects that have emerged by the billions in parts of New Jersey and 14 other eastern states during recent weeks as part of the 2021 Brood X cicada invasion.

On the other hand, if you don’t have a seafood allergy and you are a daring person, it’s perfectly fine to sample cicadas, the experts say. However, if you do eat any, it’s safer if they are cooked.

“Food safety risks can be higher when insects are harvested from the wild and consumed raw,” notes the Food Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.

The organization adds: “In general, edible insects are a good source of protein, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, though the nutritional profile is insect species dependent. This makes them a potential food source for healthy human diets.”

In case you’re wondering about your furry friends, experts say even though cicadas are not toxic or poisonous, and they don’t bite people or animals, your dog or cat can feel sick from overindulging.

“The crunchy shell can cause irritation to the stomach lining when eaten in large volumes,” veterinarian Stephanie Liff, medical director at Pure Paws Veterinary Care in New York City, told AARP.

“If they do help themselves to a big serving of cicadas, it can lead to vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea or poor appetite,” AARP says. “Though rare, pets also may have an allergic reaction when they eat cicadas and can go into anaphylactic shock, which would require an urgent trip to the vet.”