These 6 dishes are deadly, yet we still eat them
Some people love a culinary challenge, but with these dishes it’s not just a matter of taste—you’re literally playing with your life. From poisonous fish to life-threatening cheese: these six dishes can be fatal if you don’t know how to eat them.
Some of these dishes have cultural significance, while others are known for their unique flavor or a certain—and undeniably thrilling—reputation. For true daredevils, that makes them even more appealing. One thing is certain: anyone who tries these delicacies needs to know exactly what they’re getting into.
These six dishes can be deadly
1. Fugu – Japanese pufferfish
Fugu, also known as pufferfish, contains one of the deadliest toxins in the world: tetrodotoxin. Incorrect preparation puts you at risk of paralysis and suffocation. Only specially trained chefs are allowed to prepare this fish, but even then, things sometimes go wrong. Nevertheless, fugu is a delicacy in Japan that people pay hundreds of euros for every year.
2. Casu Marzu – Italian maggot cheese
This Sardinian sheep’s cheese isn’t just a smelly cheese; it’s teeming with live maggots. The larvae help with the fermentation process, but when consumed, they can survive in your intestines and cause serious damage. The EU has banned the cheese, but that doesn’t stop it from still being found outside Sardinia.
3. Ackee – Jamaica’s national fruit
Ackee looks like an innocent fruit, but eating it before it is fully ripe can be fatal. The unripe version contains hypoglycin, a toxin that causes vomiting, seizures and, in extreme cases, even death. Fully ripe ackee is safe and a key ingredient in the popular dish ackee and saltfish.
4. Rhubarb leaves
Rhubarb is delicious in pies and compotes, but the leaves? They’re pure poison. They contain oxalic acid, which can cause kidney failure. Accidentally ingesting a few leaves isn’t immediately fatal, but large quantities can be dangerous.
5. Sannakji – Korean live octopus
In this (gruesome!) dish, a baby octopus is served alive, chopped into pieces but still moving. The suction cups remain active, however, and can latch onto your throat, causing suffocation. People die from this dish every year, especially if they don’t chew it properly.
6. Hákarl – Fermented Greenland shark
Icelanders love hákarl, fermented shark that is left to rot for months. Doesn’t sound very appealing, does it? But raw Greenland shark is poisonous because it contains uric acid and trimethylamine oxide. Only after a long fermentation process is it safe to eat—although the smell of ammonia remains a deal-breaker for many people. Isn’t that just a warning nature is offering you for free? STAY AWAY!
Read also:
- Warning: these are our grossest dishes ever
- WTF?! This food is banned in America
- 7 dishes you’d better not even try
Source: Culy, image: Japanese fugu
