Many plants in adapting to environmental attacks develop poisonous features in an attempt to protect themselves from predators. I hereby present three of them. Feel free to add other plants that you know in the comments below.
1. Cassava (Cyanide poisoning)
Drought limit plant range that aphids can feed on, and the drought-tolerant cassava becomes their target food. In order to protect itself from aphids and the attendant cassava mosaic virus, the cassava plants develop cyanide. If eaten by people, cyanide can affect thyroid hormones and damage nerve cells. Proper processing can minimize cyanide to safe levels of 10ppm, as recommended by the World Health Organization. Cassava can be processed by peeling, fermentation and drying.
2. Potatoes (Solanine poisoning)
Over-stayed potatoes sprout and turn green to progenate. At this time, the plant wants to protect and conserve its food reserves (in the tuber) for the new babies, the shoots. The plant, therefore, produces a toxin, solanine, in large amounts as it sprouts and turns green. Symptoms of solanine poisoning include vomiting, stomach pain, hallucinations and even paralysis. To prevent solanine poisoning, avoid buying and eating over-stayed potatoes, especially those that have already started to look green or have sprouts (shoots).
3. Red Kidney Beans (Phytohemagglutinin poisoning)
Many species of beans contain the toxin Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) as a defense against plant pests and pathogens. However, the concentration levels vary among the species. PHA concentrations are particularly high in red kidney beans. As few as 4 to 5 raw beans, if ingested can cause poisoning with symptoms occurring within 1 to 3 hours after ingestion. The symptoms of PHA poisoning include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Human poisoning of PHA can significantly be reduced by correct cooking: the beans must be boiled for at least 30 minutes at 100 degrees Celcius to denature the PHA protein.
No comments:
Post a Comment