Legume phytohaemagglutinin in raw kidney beans can produce nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. This poison is neutralized by cooking kidney beans.
Potato sprouts and green potatoes contain solanine, a poisonous chemical that can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and if severe, respiratory and neurological difficulties.
Rhubarb leaves contain harmful oxalic acid and anthraquinone glycosides, unlike the stalks, which are utilized in cooking and baking. Rhubarb leaves should be avoided.
Eaten in significant numbers, bitter almonds contain amygdalin, which breaks down into cyanide. Almond extract is made from bitter almonds, which should not be eaten uncooked.
Unripe or incorrectly prepared ackee fruit, a Caribbean staple, contains hypoglycin, a toxin that can cause vomiting, convulsions, and even coma. Before consuming, it should be ripe and prepared.
Foodborne disease can result from eating raw or undercooked fiddlehead ferns due to bacteria or toxins. Cooking properly makes them safe to eat.
Consuming raw elderberries in large amounts can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Elderberries can neutralize these chemicals by cooking or utilizing commercial products.
The tomato fruit is safe to eat, but the leaves and stems contain deadly alkaloids such tomatine. Small amounts of tomato leaves or stems rarely cause poisoning.
When overconsumed or incorrectly handled, cassava roots contain cyanogenic glycosides that generate cyanide. Simmering, fermenting, or boiling cassava eliminates these poisons, making it safe to eat.