Jason King
AmyHuangFood That Kills
November 22nd 2009 09:21
Although there are very few foods that cause instant death, there are some well known, and not so well known, dangerous foods that we should all be aware of. This list is by no means comprehensive, but it hits some of the more common dangerous ingredients you could encounter. These posinous foods are all naturally occuring and we could all die from them, some due to massive, near impossible levels of consumtion but some people with low tolerance can die quickly from these.
This list was originally produced in 2008 by Dahlia Rideout. A lot of them surprised the hell out of me. Everyone knows the Blowfish is poisonous but also a huge delicacy - it is kind of the Russian Roullette of eating. And I feel massively sorry for dogs, cats and other animals for their intolerance to chocolate - that is just a cruel twist of life for them
Mushrooms
Most people know that certain types of mushrooms can be deadly. The more common poisonings come from the Death Cap (often confused for the Paddy Straw mushroom), Destroying Angels, and Deadly Webcap. Death Caps alone contain over seven toxins and one bite can lead to a nasty death. Watch out for the Gyomitra, which is often confused for Morrel.
Blowfish (Fugu)
This fish is deadly on its own, and highly regarded as a Japanese and Hong Kong delicacy. It’s poison, tetrodotoxin, is 1,200 times more potent than cyanide. Around one hundred diners die each year from it. Preparation is the key; make sure a licensed chef prepares your Fugu. Becoming a licensed Fugu chef is a long and intensive process, culminating in the chef preparing a Fugu meal and eating it himself. The most deadly parts of Fugu include the liver, muscles, ovaries, and skin.
Shellfish
Shellfish poisoning is mostly associated with bivalve mollusks (mussels, clams, oysters, and scallops). These shellfish are filter feeders and can accumulate high levels of toxins including domoic acid, produced by microscopic algae. Cooking doesn’t always inactivate these toxins and some can lead to death in high dosages.
Rhubarb
Ever wonder why Rhubarb recipes mostly contain the stem and not the leaves? The leaves contain higher concentrations of oxalate, which causes poisoning in large doses. The stems contain much less of the compound. Anthraquinone glycosides are also present and may add to its toxicity.
Potatoes
Potatoes contain glycoalkaloids (solanine and chaconine), toxic compounds which are more prevalent in the wild potato varieties. Cooking at high temperatures mostly removes the toxin, although headaches, diarrhea, and cramps—and in severe cases, coma and death—can occur in rare cases. This is why we are told to keep potatoes away from light. It’s to prevent higher concentrations of solanine. So don’t eat potatoes after they have turned green.
Apricot Stones (Seeds)
Actually, many fruits of the rose family contain cyanogenetic glycosides, which upon ingestion release hydrogen cyanide gas. These include seeds from cherries, apples, plums, almonds, and peaches. Although it would take a mega-dose to do you in, keep this in mind the next time you go on an apricot seed binge. There have been reported deaths in Turkey, a large apricot grower, for this very reason. Although years ago apricot stone fruit (inside of the stone) was used in mild doses to battle cancer. It is still used today.
Tomato
Although the fruit itself is safe (more technically a berry), tomato plants contain glycoalkaloids, which are indeed toxic.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains the alkaloid theobromine, which in unusually high doses can be toxic to humans. However, it would take an unholy amount of chocolate to achieve this. But other species react much worse: dogs, parrots, horses, and cats can be killed by ingesting chocolate.
Tapioca
Tapioca, if not processed properly, can be toxic. It contains a natural source of cyanide, whose precursor, linamarin, is rendered harmless if properly dried, soaked, and baked.
Peanuts
Deadly for those allergic, which isn’t all that uncommon. Watch out for artificially flavored nuts as well; they can be re-flavored with another kind of nut that you might be allergic to. There are many people with an alergy to peanuts - they have to carry one of those dispenser pens full of adrenaline to keep them alive if accidentally eaten. There was a case a few years back of a lady dying in a Thai restaurant in Newtown. My question is this: if you know you are so allergic to peanuts why would you even eat in a Thai restaurant and ask for no peanuts in the meal. Nearly everything comes into contact with peanuts or peanut oil in Thai restaurants. That was a suicide meal!
Now I am off to prepare some fugu for my staff
This list was originally produced in 2008 by Dahlia Rideout. A lot of them surprised the hell out of me. Everyone knows the Blowfish is poisonous but also a huge delicacy - it is kind of the Russian Roullette of eating. And I feel massively sorry for dogs, cats and other animals for their intolerance to chocolate - that is just a cruel twist of life for them
Mushrooms
Most people know that certain types of mushrooms can be deadly. The more common poisonings come from the Death Cap (often confused for the Paddy Straw mushroom), Destroying Angels, and Deadly Webcap. Death Caps alone contain over seven toxins and one bite can lead to a nasty death. Watch out for the Gyomitra, which is often confused for Morrel.
Blowfish (Fugu)
This fish is deadly on its own, and highly regarded as a Japanese and Hong Kong delicacy. It’s poison, tetrodotoxin, is 1,200 times more potent than cyanide. Around one hundred diners die each year from it. Preparation is the key; make sure a licensed chef prepares your Fugu. Becoming a licensed Fugu chef is a long and intensive process, culminating in the chef preparing a Fugu meal and eating it himself. The most deadly parts of Fugu include the liver, muscles, ovaries, and skin.
Shellfish
Shellfish poisoning is mostly associated with bivalve mollusks (mussels, clams, oysters, and scallops). These shellfish are filter feeders and can accumulate high levels of toxins including domoic acid, produced by microscopic algae. Cooking doesn’t always inactivate these toxins and some can lead to death in high dosages.
Rhubarb
Ever wonder why Rhubarb recipes mostly contain the stem and not the leaves? The leaves contain higher concentrations of oxalate, which causes poisoning in large doses. The stems contain much less of the compound. Anthraquinone glycosides are also present and may add to its toxicity.
Potatoes
Potatoes contain glycoalkaloids (solanine and chaconine), toxic compounds which are more prevalent in the wild potato varieties. Cooking at high temperatures mostly removes the toxin, although headaches, diarrhea, and cramps—and in severe cases, coma and death—can occur in rare cases. This is why we are told to keep potatoes away from light. It’s to prevent higher concentrations of solanine. So don’t eat potatoes after they have turned green.
Apricot Stones (Seeds)
Actually, many fruits of the rose family contain cyanogenetic glycosides, which upon ingestion release hydrogen cyanide gas. These include seeds from cherries, apples, plums, almonds, and peaches. Although it would take a mega-dose to do you in, keep this in mind the next time you go on an apricot seed binge. There have been reported deaths in Turkey, a large apricot grower, for this very reason. Although years ago apricot stone fruit (inside of the stone) was used in mild doses to battle cancer. It is still used today.
Tomato
Although the fruit itself is safe (more technically a berry), tomato plants contain glycoalkaloids, which are indeed toxic.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains the alkaloid theobromine, which in unusually high doses can be toxic to humans. However, it would take an unholy amount of chocolate to achieve this. But other species react much worse: dogs, parrots, horses, and cats can be killed by ingesting chocolate.
Tapioca
Tapioca, if not processed properly, can be toxic. It contains a natural source of cyanide, whose precursor, linamarin, is rendered harmless if properly dried, soaked, and baked.
Peanuts
Deadly for those allergic, which isn’t all that uncommon. Watch out for artificially flavored nuts as well; they can be re-flavored with another kind of nut that you might be allergic to. There are many people with an alergy to peanuts - they have to carry one of those dispenser pens full of adrenaline to keep them alive if accidentally eaten. There was a case a few years back of a lady dying in a Thai restaurant in Newtown. My question is this: if you know you are so allergic to peanuts why would you even eat in a Thai restaurant and ask for no peanuts in the meal. Nearly everything comes into contact with peanuts or peanut oil in Thai restaurants. That was a suicide meal!
Now I am off to prepare some fugu for my staff
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