Do you eat to live or do you live to eat? Whichever the case, you need to know about these dangerous foods.
1. Giant bullfrog
These frogs are eaten in Namibia. However, the dish can be very dangerous if it's prepared with a frog that has not completely matured. This is because young frogs that haven’t started to mate contain a toxin that can cause kidney failure.
2. Fesikh
This dish is eaten in Egypt. It is a traditional dish eaten during the local spring festival, Shem-al-Nessim. The dish is made with a fermented mullet fish that must be dried in the sun and salted for at least a year before it can be eaten safely.
3. Wild mushrooms
Mushrooms can be poisonous, and it can be difficult for most people to tell poisonous mushrooms from non-poisonous mushrooms. There have been reports of more poisonous mushrooms growing, and the CDC reports that poisoning from death cap mushrooms are increasing as more of the poisonous mushrooms are growing. Death cap mushrooms are responsible for 90% of mushroom-related deaths worldwide.
4. Kidney beans
Raw or undercooked kidney beans could poison you. This is because they contain a toxic protein called phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). Even a small handful of undercooked kidney beans could lead to symptoms like vomiting, nausea and diarrhoea. It is therefore important to cook kidney beans properly. This involves soaking them in water to soften them, pouring out the water used in soaking, and boiling the beans in different water. The beans should boil until soft.
5. Cassava
Cassava has the cyanogenic glycosides linamarin and lotaustralin. These glycosides release hydrocyanic acid which is very toxic. Some cassava varieties have higher amounts of these glycosides. Cassava has to be cooked and prepared properly otherwise its consumption will lead to cyanide poisoning. Many communities all over Africa rely on cassava as a food security crop.
6. Pufferfish/fugu
Pufferfish, known locally as fugu, is a delicacy enjoyed in Japan. The fish is so dangerous that only properly-trained chefs are allowed to serve it. The fish contains a deadly neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin. The poison is also found in porcupinefish, ocean sunfish, and triggerfish. Fugu is mostly eaten raw, fried, or boiled with miso. Tetrodotoxin can kill instantly. The toxin can be found in the liver and internal organs of the fish, so the fish has to be properly prepared and cleaned before serving.
7. Blood clams
Blood clams are eaten in China. They are known to carry several viruses that lead to deadly diseases such as typhoid, hepatitis A, and dysentery.
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