Mattie (@mattieandapple) posted a TikTok saying she found what she believed was a worm in a McDonald’s Coke at an Ashburn, Virginia location. She and a companion preserved parts of the specimen, contacted the local health department and returned to the restaurant. Inspectors reportedly found damaged tiles and recent flooding that could have affected the soda dispenser; pest control was called. No lab identification has been reported, and Mattie experienced temporary nausea but says she ultimately recovered.
‘Am I Gonna Get Sick?’ Virginia Woman Says She Found a Worm in a McDonald’s Coke — Health Inspectors Notified
Image by KelvinStuttard on Pixabay. / screenshot from @maddieandapple
A Virginia woman says she discovered what she believes was a worm floating in a Coca‑Cola cup from a McDonald’s in Ashburn, prompting her to notify local health authorities and worry about potential health effects.
What Happened
Mattie, who posts on TikTok as @mattieandapple, shared video of the incident and called it her “worst nightmare.” She says she was drinking the soda in low light when she noticed an unusual object on the side of the cup and then what she believed was a worm in the drink.
"I'm literally crying and throwing up because I was drinking my Coke from McDonald's and there's a f****** earthworm in it," Mattie says in the video, which shows her removing fragments of the object from the cup.
Follow-Up and Investigation
Mattie and a companion preserved parts of the specimen, contacted the local health department and returned to the restaurant with the cup. A health inspector reportedly noted damaged floor tiles and recent flooding at the location, conditions that could allow water and debris to enter components of the soda dispenser. The restaurant subsequently engaged pest control services.
No independent laboratory analysis or expert identification of the object has been reported, so the animal’s species and the exact source of contamination remain unconfirmed.
Health Concerns and Guidance
Mattie said she felt unable to eat or drink normally for about 12 hours and experienced nausea for roughly two days; she also contacted Poison Control for advice. Poison Control recommends seeking professional guidance after unexpected exposures rather than trying to assess the risk alone. Their online tools and hotline evaluate what the substance is, how much was involved, how exposure occurred and any symptoms to determine next steps.
Medical literature records rare instances in which ingesting earthworms has been linked to parasitic infection — one published case involved a teenager who deliberately swallowed an earthworm that carried Toxocara larvae and later developed visceral larva migrans. Those reports are rare and do not demonstrate that the specimen in this incident carried parasites.
Current Status
Mattie said she ultimately felt fine, though the incident left her uneasy about drinking fountain beverages. She also reported difficulty getting a direct response from McDonald’s corporate channels and said the reply she received did not fully address her concerns.
Note: The video documents an object in the cup, but without lab testing or expert identification, conclusions about the object’s species, origin or health risk should be treated as unconfirmed.
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