Why do some people say that mealworms can be toxic and contain heavy metals? They say that during the process of making them, it doesn’t take toxins out. I bought an expensive 5 lb bag from TS and now I’m scared to feed them any.
I also read where it is illegal in some states and also in Europe to feed them to chickens.
Heavy Metals linger in a body, most aren't easily and rapidly excreted - which is why they talk about mercury levels in fish, and lead levels in humans. Very tiny doses build up over time. Or coal ash - burn away all the carbon, and you are left with something which, pound per pound, is much more radioactive, much higher in heavy metal concentrations, and just all around more toxic.
Same is true about mealworms - it concentrates in their bodies if its present in their environment or their diet. Why did I mention coal ash above??? Because mealworms arusually packed and shipped dried. Remove substantially all the moisture and, pound per pound, everything in them (for good or ill) is more concentrated.
That said, EVERYTHING is toxic in sufficient quantity. Every living thing on the planet contains heavy metals. The Dosage is the Poison. Without knowing how much of what is in them, its a factual statement devoid of the information needed to make a reasoned, informed decision.
I don't feed mealworms because, regardless of any other factor, they do contain a huge amount of fat - even a few of them, every day, is enough to throw a chicken's diet out of balance, and the benefit of the small amount of additional protein is, in my view, MORE THAN OFFSET by the huge amount of additional fat.
Legality is no indicator of relative danger. I've helped write legislation. Its not pretty. Chances are, the people who wrote the law don't have a great understanding of the subject on which they are legislating, and the mass of representatives voting on the law know even less.
