MIAMI The champion of the roach-eating contest in Florida died soon after downing a large number of the live bugs in addition to earthworms, government bodies stated Monday.

About 30 participants ate the bugs throughout Friday night's contest at Ben Siegel Reptile Store in Deerfield Beach about 40 miles north of Miami. The grand prize would be a python.

Edward Archbold, 32, of Delray grew to become ill soon after the contest ended and flattened before the store, based on a Broward Sheriff's Office statement launched Monday. He was come to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Government bodies were awaiting outcomes of an autopsy to find out a contributing factor to dying.

"Unless of course the cockroaches were contaminated with a few bacteria or any other bad bacteria, I do not believe that roaches could be unsafe to consume,Inch stated Michael Adams, professor of entomology at the College of California at Riverside, who added he hasn't heard about someone dying after eating and enjoying cockroaches. "Some people will have allergic reactions to cockroaches," he stated, "but you will find no harmful toxins in cockroaches or related bugs."

None of the other participants grew to become ill, the sheriff's office stated.

There is no up-to-date telephone number listed for Archbold in Delray.

"We feel terribly awful," stated store owner Ben Siegel, who added that Archbold didn't seem to be sick before the contest. "He looked like he wanted to demonstrate and was excellent,Inch Siegel stated, adding that Archbold was "the existence of the party."

Siegel stated Archbold was selling the exotic prize to some friend who required him to the contest.

The Miami Herald reported the grand prize continues to be reserve in Archbold's title and will also be provided to his estate.

A statement from Siegel's attorney stated all the participants signed waivers "accepting responsibility for his or her participation within this unique and unorthodox contest."

The bugs consumed were from a listing of bugs "which are securely and locally elevated inside a controlled atmosphere as food for reptiles."