My friend and I were enjoying a quiet dinner at a trendy downtown restaurant when our evening took a horrifying turn. The ambiance was perfect—cozy lighting, soft music, and beautifully presented dishes. My friend ordered a salad with avocado and quinoa, and at first glance, everything seemed delicious. But as she picked up her fork, she froze and pointed at something strange on her plate.

At first, we assumed the tiny black specks on the salad were chia seeds or some kind of seasoning. But her expression changed quickly. “These aren’t seeds,” she said. “They’re moving.” We leaned in closer and realized, to our horror, that the specks were actually insect eggs—tiny, transparent spheres with dark dots inside, wriggling slightly. Shock turned into panic almost instantly. We called the waiter over, but fear had already taken hold. With no idea what insect these eggs came from—or whether we had already ingested some—we called for an ambulance. My friend was visibly distressed, shaking from fear and nausea. The restaurant staff tried to calm us down, but it was too late. The damage was done. At the hospital, doctors ran tests, prescribed precautionary medication, and advised us to watch for symptoms. Thankfully, we were okay, but the psychological impact lingered. The restaurant later blamed “a technical error” and “a supplier issue,” but no explanation could undo what happened. Since then, every time I see something that even resembles chia seeds, I feel a jolt of panic. That night ruined more than just our dinner—it shattered our trust.