We eat food every day. Some of it may be sugary sweet, while other foods may be salty, tangy, or even sour. But did you know various foods from around the world can be toxic? And what’s even crazier–this doesn’t stop people from eating them!
From giant toxic bullfrogs, to a pepper so hot it can burn a hole in your intestines, you won’t want to pass on checking out these dangerous delicacies! (Don’t worry, reading about them doesn’t mean you have to eat them.)
Ackee Fruit
This bright red fruit is popular in Jamaica because it’s their National Fruit! It grows on tropical evergreen trees that are native to west Africa, and its shape is similar to a bell pepper.
Natives know when the pods are ready to be harvested because they will yawn or smile. This is what they call it when the ackee ripens and naturally splits open to expose three or four cream-coloured fleshy sections (called arils) underneath its large glossy black seeds.
What makes the ackee dangerous? The seeds and the raw immature pods. They can make you sick.
However, the chefs who know how to prepare the arils to perfection turn it into a scrambled egg-like texture that has a nutty flavor. No stomach aches!
Namibian Giant Bullfrog
Frog legs are considered a delicacy in France, and you won’t suffer from kidney failure or possible death after you consume them. But the same thing cannot be said about the Namibian Giant Bullfrog.
This housecat-sized frog is reported to be delicious AND has enough poison to be deadly. However, that doesn’t stop the locals from catching and eating these frogs–whole!
There is a rule to help cut down on the chances of being poisoned: catch the frogs only after the third rain or after they start croaking and mating. Mature frogs are less likely to be deadly toxic. Of course, they still have to be cooked.
Blood Clams
Also known as cockles, Blood Clams are a delicacy in China. However, the problem with this seafood is that when they are harvested from polluted water, they carry deadly diseases that may lead to hepatitis A, dysentery, and typhoid. In fact, blood clams were actually banned in Shanghai in 1988 after more than 300,000 people became ill and 31 people died. Unfortunately, you can still find them sold in markets today–even in Shanghai.
Casu Marzu
Do you like cheese? How ’bout cheese that is fermented with maggots?
Although most people would agree that Casu Marzu is disgusting, the good folks of Sardinia, Italy, think it is a delicacy worth the risk.
Casu Marzu is literally a rotten cheese that is left out so flies can land on it and lay their eggs. When the eggs hatch, they make their way through the paste, digesting proteins as they go. This transforms the product into a soft creamy cheese.
This strong, stinky cheese is illegal to eat because if you swallow one of those larvae, it can create a hole in your intestines! It’s for this reason that Casu Marzu is considered one of the world’s most dangerous cheeses!
Dragon’s Breath
Some people like their food spicy hot. It used to be believed that the Carolina Reaper was the most potent pepper, at 1.6 million heat units on the Scoville scale. However, there’s a new “hottie” on the scene: the Dragon’s Breath pepper. It sits at a whopping 2.48 million Scoville!
Fun Fact: Habanero peppers have 350,000 heat units and a Jalapeno pepper has only 8,000!
So what could happen if you eat a Dragon’s Breath pepper (aside from getting dragon breath)? The capsaicin, which is what causes the heat, in the pepper could literally cause you to stop breathing, as well as burn your tongue and mouth. So be careful around this pepper!
Echizen Kurage
Also known as Nomura’s Jellyfish, this giant sea creature is extremely toxic. Not only can it kill a human with its stinging tentacles, but the poison found in its body is also deadly.
The killer ingredient in the Echizen Kurage is a glycoalkaloid (found in many stinging sea critters). If consumed, even in the tiniest amount, it can lead to cramping, diarrhea, headaches, and even death.
People who want to eat this jellyfish need to make sure it was prepared by a properly trained chef who cooked it without any toxins left behind.
Puffer Fish
Another Asian treat is Fugu–a.k.a. raw Puffer Fish. The problem with this spikey little delight is it has enough toxins in it to kill whoever’s eating it.
The internal organs of the fish are where the danger lies. They contain a chemical called tetrodotoxin, which is 1,200 times more deadly than cyanide! This poison kills whoever eats it instantly, and they need only take one bite. Chefs have to be trained from 4 to 6 years to properly learn how to prepare the Fugu for consumption.
Unfortunately, around 50 people get Fugu poisoning each year, and there is no cure.
Monkey Brains
Zombies aren’t the only ones that want to eat brains. In Asia, this gross dish is considered a delicacy.
However, eating monkey brains puts the diner at risk of contracting a disease called Creutzfeldt-Jakob, a condition that affects the human brain. Symptoms include dementia and your brain turning to mush. Better leave the brains to the zombies!
Silver Stripe Blaasop
Found in the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, the Silver Stripe Blaasop is a delicacy to the local coastal regions. However, this fish isn’t one you can just pull from the sea and plop into a frying pan.
The Silver Stripe Blaasop contains toxins in its skin, liver, and reproductive organs. If not prepared properly, this toxin can cause breathing problems and paralysis.
It has BLAH right in its name. Avoid this fish!
Live Octopus
Koreans love to eat “live” octopus (the creature is technically dead, but it is consumed raw).
That in itself is not odd–many cultures eat octopus! However, these cultures eat it cooked. If you are going to dine on fresh raw octopus, watch out for its tentacles. Even though the creature is dead, those tentacles can have suction cups that are still active. This is dangerous because when you swallow the suction cup, it can adhere to your tongue or throat, which can lead to choking.
Done With Dangerous Delicacies
Although you will probably never encounter these dishes on your local restaurant’s menu, these dangerous delicacies are fun to learn about.
And even though you may not like to eat your vegetables, at least they’re not poisonous!
