10) Mushrooms
Are you really surprised? Aside from hallucinogenic properties, mushrooms can also kill. Varieties like the Death Cap, Destroying Angels and Deadly Webcap are highly poisonous and capable of inducing death (i.e. killing you). If only there were labels in the wild ...
09) Coffee
Aside from the possibility of increased heart rate, trouble sleeping and discoloration of teeth, there's another a way that a cup of joe can be detrimental to your well being. Call it the burned-crotch effect or the java jump and jive, because when that hot liquid hits your lap, you'll stop at nothing to end the pain.
In 1992, McDonald's had some trouble when 79-year-old grandmother Stella Liebeck of New Mexico sued the fast-food company because a scalding cup of 170? coffee caused third-degree burns over 6% of her body, including her thighs, buttocks and groin. Liebeck was awarded $2.86 million (the amount was later reduced in a settlement). McDonald's later lowered the temperature at which it brews coffee and made warning labels more prominent. Coffee giant Starbucks, however, reportedly brews its coffee at higher levels to this day.
0
Cassave
Better known to Americans as tapioca, the pudding favorite is produced from the roots of this bush-like plant. But the crop can have deadly consequences. If prepared incorrectly, the cassava plant can produce cyanide, a deadly compound when consumed. A small number of people are also allergic to the plant ? the American Cancer Society warns that those with a latex rubber allergy might be more susceptible and should consider opting for a different dessert.
07) Tuna
Popular among elementary-school students and foodies alike, tuna has become one of the most widely consumed fish in the world. It also has somewhat of a mixed reputation. A well-publicized 2004 U.S. government advisory warned pregnant women and young children against eating too much of the albacore ("white") variety of the fish out of concern that the high mercury levels could damage the unborn or young childs's developing nervous system. The FDA has also warned against the likelihood of fresh fish lovers falling prey to Scombroid, a mild food poisoning caused by the toxins emitted from improperly refrigerating fish such as tuna, mackerel, bluefish and mahi-mahi.
06) Rhubarb
Rhubarb, the vegetable so celebrated for its role in pastries that it's also known as the "pie plant," has a kick to it. While rhubarb has a medicinal history originating in Asia, ingesting a large amount of the leaves can cause poisoning. The CDC warns that neither cooked nor raw rhubarb leaves should be consumed, owing to the toxins (including oxalate) they contain. Stick with the stalk
05) Leafy Greens
Leafy greens ? including spinach, lettuce, cabbage, arugula and kale ? were listed as the riskiest foods of 2009, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which is regulated by the FDA. The group identified 363 separate outbreaks linked to the veggies last year; 240 of those cases were linked to food from restaurants. The majority of contaminations were linked to a pathogen called Nirovirus, which is usually spread by the unwashed hands of an ill food handler or consumer. Other contaminants include E. coli and salmonella, both of which can be introduced during the production phase if the greens come into contact with animal manure, contaminated water or wild animals.
04) Peanuts
Don't let Mr. Peanut's top hat and monocle fool you ? beneath that gentlemanly exterior lies one deadly little nut if you're one of the roughly 1% of the population that has a peanut allergy. It's the most common cause of food-allergy deaths, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. And for little understood reasons, it's on the rise. From 1997 to 2002, incidents of peanut allergy doubled in children.
03) Ackee
In Jamaica, the ackee fruit is a mixed blessing. Though originally native to West Africa, it migrated to Jamaica in 1778 and is now the country's national fruit. If improperly eaten, though, ackee can cause what has been dubbed the Jamaican Vomiting Sickness ? which, other than the self-explanatory symptoms, can lead to coma or death. Unripe ackee fruit contains a poison called hypoglycin, so preparers must be careful to wait until the fruit's protective pods turn red and open naturally. Once open, the only edible portion is the yellow arilli, which surround always-toxic black seeds. With all that risk comes a delicious payoff ? Jamaica's national dish is ackee with codfish.
02)Fugu
Served in paper-thin slices by expert chefs, fugu combines luxury with a high-stakes gamble. The intestines, ovaries and liver of fugu (or blowfish) contain a poison called tetrodotoxin, which is 1,200 times deadlier than cyanide. The toxin is so potent that a lethal dose is smaller than the head of a pin, and a single fish has enough poison to kill 30 people. Because of the high risk, chefs must undergo two to three years of training to obtain a fugu-preparing license, and such expertise raises the price of a fugu dish to up to $200. But this hasn't stopped the Japanese ? about 40 kinds of fugu are caught in Japan, and people consume 10,000 tons of the fish every year.
01) Hot Dogs
They're much more than a tailgating staple. In a new paper, the American Academy of Pediatrics says hot dogs are also a choking hazard to children and should come with a warning label. About 17% of food-related asphyxiations in those younger than 10 are caused by hot dogs, according to a 41-state study cited in the paper. The Academy even recommended that hot dogs be redesigned to make it less likely that they will get lodged in the throats of the young. How do you redesign a hot dog?
Are you really surprised? Aside from hallucinogenic properties, mushrooms can also kill. Varieties like the Death Cap, Destroying Angels and Deadly Webcap are highly poisonous and capable of inducing death (i.e. killing you). If only there were labels in the wild ...
09) Coffee
Aside from the possibility of increased heart rate, trouble sleeping and discoloration of teeth, there's another a way that a cup of joe can be detrimental to your well being. Call it the burned-crotch effect or the java jump and jive, because when that hot liquid hits your lap, you'll stop at nothing to end the pain.
In 1992, McDonald's had some trouble when 79-year-old grandmother Stella Liebeck of New Mexico sued the fast-food company because a scalding cup of 170? coffee caused third-degree burns over 6% of her body, including her thighs, buttocks and groin. Liebeck was awarded $2.86 million (the amount was later reduced in a settlement). McDonald's later lowered the temperature at which it brews coffee and made warning labels more prominent. Coffee giant Starbucks, however, reportedly brews its coffee at higher levels to this day.
0
CassaveBetter known to Americans as tapioca, the pudding favorite is produced from the roots of this bush-like plant. But the crop can have deadly consequences. If prepared incorrectly, the cassava plant can produce cyanide, a deadly compound when consumed. A small number of people are also allergic to the plant ? the American Cancer Society warns that those with a latex rubber allergy might be more susceptible and should consider opting for a different dessert.
07) Tuna
Popular among elementary-school students and foodies alike, tuna has become one of the most widely consumed fish in the world. It also has somewhat of a mixed reputation. A well-publicized 2004 U.S. government advisory warned pregnant women and young children against eating too much of the albacore ("white") variety of the fish out of concern that the high mercury levels could damage the unborn or young childs's developing nervous system. The FDA has also warned against the likelihood of fresh fish lovers falling prey to Scombroid, a mild food poisoning caused by the toxins emitted from improperly refrigerating fish such as tuna, mackerel, bluefish and mahi-mahi.
06) Rhubarb
Rhubarb, the vegetable so celebrated for its role in pastries that it's also known as the "pie plant," has a kick to it. While rhubarb has a medicinal history originating in Asia, ingesting a large amount of the leaves can cause poisoning. The CDC warns that neither cooked nor raw rhubarb leaves should be consumed, owing to the toxins (including oxalate) they contain. Stick with the stalk
05) Leafy Greens
Leafy greens ? including spinach, lettuce, cabbage, arugula and kale ? were listed as the riskiest foods of 2009, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which is regulated by the FDA. The group identified 363 separate outbreaks linked to the veggies last year; 240 of those cases were linked to food from restaurants. The majority of contaminations were linked to a pathogen called Nirovirus, which is usually spread by the unwashed hands of an ill food handler or consumer. Other contaminants include E. coli and salmonella, both of which can be introduced during the production phase if the greens come into contact with animal manure, contaminated water or wild animals.
04) Peanuts
Don't let Mr. Peanut's top hat and monocle fool you ? beneath that gentlemanly exterior lies one deadly little nut if you're one of the roughly 1% of the population that has a peanut allergy. It's the most common cause of food-allergy deaths, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. And for little understood reasons, it's on the rise. From 1997 to 2002, incidents of peanut allergy doubled in children.
03) Ackee
In Jamaica, the ackee fruit is a mixed blessing. Though originally native to West Africa, it migrated to Jamaica in 1778 and is now the country's national fruit. If improperly eaten, though, ackee can cause what has been dubbed the Jamaican Vomiting Sickness ? which, other than the self-explanatory symptoms, can lead to coma or death. Unripe ackee fruit contains a poison called hypoglycin, so preparers must be careful to wait until the fruit's protective pods turn red and open naturally. Once open, the only edible portion is the yellow arilli, which surround always-toxic black seeds. With all that risk comes a delicious payoff ? Jamaica's national dish is ackee with codfish.
02)Fugu
Served in paper-thin slices by expert chefs, fugu combines luxury with a high-stakes gamble. The intestines, ovaries and liver of fugu (or blowfish) contain a poison called tetrodotoxin, which is 1,200 times deadlier than cyanide. The toxin is so potent that a lethal dose is smaller than the head of a pin, and a single fish has enough poison to kill 30 people. Because of the high risk, chefs must undergo two to three years of training to obtain a fugu-preparing license, and such expertise raises the price of a fugu dish to up to $200. But this hasn't stopped the Japanese ? about 40 kinds of fugu are caught in Japan, and people consume 10,000 tons of the fish every year.
01) Hot Dogs
They're much more than a tailgating staple. In a new paper, the American Academy of Pediatrics says hot dogs are also a choking hazard to children and should come with a warning label. About 17% of food-related asphyxiations in those younger than 10 are caused by hot dogs, according to a 41-state study cited in the paper. The Academy even recommended that hot dogs be redesigned to make it less likely that they will get lodged in the throats of the young. How do you redesign a hot dog?
Apache
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