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Hey Thoughty2 here. In large quantities raw cashew nuts can be fatal. They contain a toxin
called urushiol. Even cashew nuts sold as raw cashews in super markets have been steamed
to remove the dangerous chemical. But cashew nuts are child’s play, some foods can kill
you with a single bite, even when cooked.
1. Fugu is a luxurious fish that’s popular in Japan, but eating it is also a huge gamble.
The intestines, ovaries and liver of the Fugu fish contain a poison called tetrodotoxin
that is 1,2000 times deadlier than cyanide. It’s so lethal that a dose smaller than
the head of a pin is enough to kill you and a single fish contains enough poison to kill
30 people. Diner’s unfortunate enough to ingest the poison will experience paralysis
then rapid death. There is no antidote.
Because of the risks involved, Japanese chefs must undergo 2 to 3 years of intense training
then pass an exam before they can obtain a license to prepare Fugu fish. Because of the
expertise involved a fugu dish usually costs around $200.
2. The humble apple can be deceivingly dangerous. An apple’s seeds contain a type of cyanide,
albeit in very small amounts. The quantity of apple seeds one would need to ingest to
suffer a lethal reaction is huge, but by no means impossible. You should also watch out
for cherry, peach and apricot pits, as they all contain the same poisonous cyanide compound.
3. Nutmeg is a spice commonly used around Christmas, but it’s also a hallucinogenic.
Yes, you can actually trip on nutmeg. However eating just 5.5 grams of nutmeg can lead to
convulsions and 8.5 grams can lead to seizures. Eating a whole nutmeg leads to a condition
known as Chronic Nutmeg Psychosis which includes severe vomiting, paranoia and a sense of impending
doom.
4. Another food that can send you off the rails is tuna. Tuna is known to absorb mercury,
and once it’s in your body it can travel to your brain and drive you insane. Whilst
it’s unlikely that eating a large amount will kill you, but it’s a good idea to monitor
your weekly intake. However FDA recommendations state that small children and pregnant women
should avoid tuna altogether.
5. Jamaica is home to one of the most dangerous fruits on the planet. The ackee fruit is Jamaica’s
national fruit. However, it contains a poison called Hypoglycin, and if improperly eaten,
can cause what’s been called the Jamaican Vomiting Sickness, I’m sure you can guess
what symptoms are involved. But the poison can also cause comas and death.
When the fruit is unripe it is riddled with the poison, so you must wait until the ackee
fruit’s pod turns red and opens naturally, once open, the only edible portion is the
yellow arilli, which surrounds the poisonous black seeds. Jamaica’s national dish is
ackee with salt fish.
6. Cassava is a *** vegetable native to South America. But it’s more commonly known
to Americans as Tapioca. The roots and leaves of the plant contain, yep you guessed it,
cyanide. Cassava must be prepared in a very particular way to avoid any toxins.
7. You would think hot dogs are completely innocent. You won’t find any cyanide here,
but to small children they’re one of the most dangerous foods available. Hot dogs are
the single biggest choking threat amongst small children of any food. Hot dogs account
for 17% of all food-related asphyxiations among children younger than 10 years of age
and can often be fatal.
8. In South Korea a popular delicacy is Sannakji, or raw baby octopus. To prepare the dish the
octopus is dismembered, seasoned with sesame seeds and oil then served immediately. Because
of the hasty preparation many of the tentacles will still be moving around whilst you eat
it. Each tentacle of an octopus has it’s own brain, so if you swallow it whole it won’t
hesitate to use its suckers on your throat.
If you don’t chew it properly before swallowing it can use its suckers to affix itself to
the inside of your throat and choke you to death.
9. Nambia in southern Africa, is home to a strange delicacy. Giant Bullfrogs are a highly
sought after food in Nambia. But there’s a reason the French stick to eating the legs
only, the organs and skins of most frogs contain toxins.
The Giant Bullfrog is riddled with a deadly toxin that causes Oshiketakata, or more simply
put, temporary kidney failure, which can cause death if immediate medical attention is not
sought. The Giant Bullfrog is considered safe however if harvested and eaten after malting
season, or the “third rain”. When their levels of toxins have mellowed out.
10. But the biggest cause of food-related death in the world is the simple chicken.
Uncooked chicken and other raw meats can contain salmonella bacteria that can be fatal in people
with weaker immune systems. In the US alone, poultry is responsible for 20 per cent of
food-related deaths.