Don't Eat Cicadas If You Are Allergic To Seafood: FDA

As billions of cicadas emerge from their 17-year nap, the Food and Drug Administration has a warning for those who may want to eat them.

"Yep! We have to say it! Don't eat #cicadas if you're allergic to seafood as these insects share a family relation to shrimp and lobsters," the agency tweeted.

While many people see the insects as a loud and disgusting annoyance, others see the insects as a crunchy protein-filled treat. The idea of eating bugs may gross some people out, but health experts say it is perfectly safe.

"It is fine to eat cicadas," Jess Fanzo, Ph.D., professor of global food policy and ethics at Johns Hopkins University, told TODAY Food in an email. "They are a high protein source of food, and have a reasonable amount of minerals like iron and zinc and some vitamins."

If you don't have a seafood allergy and can stomach the idea of eating a cicada, chef Joseph Yoon has a bunch of recipes on his Instagram account. Some of the recipes include "cicada burgers with black beans, mushrooms, onions, red pepper, panko, eggs, parsley, garlic, and herbs," a cicada nymph stir fry, and cicada nymph caramel chocolate popcorn.

Photo: Getty Images