Photo of Spider in an Oreo Cookie. Real or Fake?

An image shows what appears to be a spider that was smashed into an Oreo Cookie during the manufacturing process. Is this image real or fake?

It is probably fake.

The photo has circulated online since about 2013 with a caption which reads:

This is why you always take Oreos apart before eating them, always. Now thing of all the Oreos you’ve eaten foolishly. 

Despite the warning in the caption, there are two primary reasons this image is almost certainly fake.

High Speed Machinery

The process in which Oreos (and presumably knockoff brands) are made involves high-volume, high-speed machinery. Notice that the spider is not “in” the filling, but appears to have been sandwiched in between the filling and the cookie. The speed at which the creme filling is dispensed would mean it would be practically impossible for a spider to place itself between the filling and the cookie during this process. (See this video for the process, and try to imagine a spider hanging on for dear life as it flies through the fast-moving process in order for this photo to be legitimate.) It’s possible, but very unlikely.

An Admission

This author claims to have tracked down the person responsible for creating the image. It is claimed that the image was created by an Instagram user in January 2013 who simply “smushed” a spider into an Oreo.

Bottom Line

It’s highly unlikely that the process in which Oreos are made would allow a spider to be sandwiched in between the cream and the wafer as seen in the photo. The photo first appeared in 2013 and still occasionally surges in internet sharing.

Updated June 13, 2015
Originally published March 2013