Every year, hundreds of millions of people consume a food that has earned the title of the “world’s most dangerous food.” Despite its deadly reputation and the fact that it causes approximately 200 deaths annually, nearly 500 million people continue to eat it regularly. This food isn’t some exotic delicacy—it’s a staple crop found in countless homes across Africa, South America, and Asia.
What Is This Potentially Lethal Food?
The answer is cassava—a starchy root vegetable that’s both a dietary mainstay and an agricultural powerhouse. Native to South America, cassava is now cultivated and consumed worldwide. It plays a crucial role in global food security, especially in low-income and developing regions. Each year, hundreds of millions of tonnes of cassava are harvested and consumed, feeding nearly half a billion people.
Why Cassava Is Considered Deadly
Cassava’s danger lies in its natural content of cyanogenic glucosides—chemical compounds that can release hydrogen cyanide, a lethal toxin, when improperly processed. The leaves, peels, and stems of the plant are particularly high in these compounds and should never be eaten raw. Even the root, if not carefully prepared, can lead to serious health consequences or death.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), improper preparation of high-cyanide cassava results in cyanide poisoning, which can cause acute illness and long-term neurological conditions. During times of famine, conflict, or extreme poverty, when proper food processing is often neglected, the risks increase dramatically.
A Dangerous Link to Disease
The WHO highlights a disease known as konzo, a form of irreversible paralysis primarily affecting children and women in impoverished regions. Konzo is directly linked to high cyanide exposure from eating bitter cassava without adequate processing and a low-protein diet, which leaves the body unable to detoxify the cyanide. The disease can emerge suddenly and often appears in epidemic form, though individual cases also occur.
How to Make Cassava Safe for Consumption
Despite its risks, cassava remains an essential part of many people’s diets. The key to safety lies in proper preparation techniques. Cassava must be peeled, grated, soaked, and cooked thoroughly, often soaked in water for up to 24 hours to leach out the toxins. In regions like Venezuela, where food shortages have driven people to consume poorly prepared cassava, incidents of cyanide poisoning have increased, often with tragic results.
Final Thoughts on a Global Dietary Staple
Cassava’s paradox is striking: it is both a life-sustaining crop and a potential killer. It offers critical nutrition and food security to nearly half a billion people, yet without proper preparation, it can be fatal. This is why it continues to be labeled the “deadliest food in the world.” The best protection against its dangers is education, food safety awareness, and adherence to proper preparation methods. With the right knowledge, communities can continue to rely on cassava—safely.