We have gathered together an informative list of some of the most dangerous foods in the world today.
Sometimes when particularly hungry, or impressed with a dish, we describe it as “to die for”. Unfortunately, there is a wide variety of foods which can kill you if prepared incorrectly.
Some of the dangerous foods that made this list are delicacies from around the world, but some – like the humble egg – are often overlooked dangers.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are an essential component of many dishes, from chicken masala, or cooked breakfast, to mushroom risotto.
Yet not every species of the fungi is safe to eat. Death Cap, False Morel, or Fools mushroom are among several species that can poison humans and cause sudden symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, and extreme thirst.
Small-dose poisonings are usually treatable, but ingesting large doses of toxic mushrooms can lead to irreversible liver, kidney, cardiac, and muscle damage, that may ultimately result in death.
Sannakji
When it comes to eating seafood, most people are squeamish at the idea of killing a lobster, but in Korea, some seafood dishes are served up with the creature still moving!
Sannakji, or “live baby octopus” has a bizarre method of preparation. The living tentacles are chopped up and then seasoned before being served immediately to the customer. This is to ensure that the octopus’ tentacles continue to writhe on the plate.
Although this curiosity may be what makes Sannakji such an entertaining specialty, it is also what causes a number of deaths in Korea each year.
The suction pads on the tentacles maintain suction after being severed, and the customer has the challenge of chewing the tentacles before they stick to the roof of the mouth.
If this is not done successfully, the tentacles stick to the mouth and throat and can actually cause the customer to choke to death, – and there lies the danger in this equally dangerous, and curious dish.
Berries
We all know that some berries — like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries — are good for you, and some are even classed as “super foods”. However not all berries are quite as well intentioned.
Take the yew for example – a tree commonly found in British churches and garden hedges. Although the sweet red pulp is generally safe, its seeds contain alkaloids that can cause muscle tremors, convulsions, coldness and eventually heart failure.
Blood clams
In Shanghai, China blood clams are eaten as a delicacy. The name comes as from their unappetising bloody appearance. What they lack in style is apparently made up for in taste. However before you eat these please remember that the dish can cause typhoid or hepatitis.
These are just a few of the nasty bacteria and viruses lurking inside their shells – but like many of the foods in this list, it all comes down to preparation. Unfortunately, there have been many occasions in Shanghai where an establishment’s ineffective method of ensuring safety – by quick boiling the clams – has got them in trouble with the local authorities.
Quick boiling doesn’t go anywhere near far enough in killing the deadly diseases they may contain before consumption. So unless you like being bathroom bound for quite some time, it’s probably best to stay away from these clams, as sometimes no amount of boiling can rid them of these bacteria.
Fugu
Japan has an even more dangerous foodstuff than their Chinese neighbours – an expensive delicacy called Fugu (blowfish), which contains the deadly poison known as tetrodotoxin.
Even cooking cannot get rid of its potent toxicity; tetrodotoxin leads to a painful paralysis. The toxin is so powerful that a dosage of 2-3mg is enough to kill a healthy adult. The poison is normally found in the internal organs, but can also be in the flesh, so only highly trained chefs are legally allowed to prepare this dish.
If unlucky enough to experience a lethal dose of tetrodotoxin, the effects include the numbing of the mouth and fingers, followed by speech deterioration, difficulty breathing and finally the whole body succumbs to paralysis, which causes the person to lose consciousness and die.
Continue reading about the worlds most dangerous foods…