Yet another of a great many foods that are poisonous unless prepared just right.
when cassava’s cells are damaged, by chewing or crushing, for instance, the linamarin and linamarase react, releasing a burst of noxious chemicals.
One of them is notorious: cyanide gas. The burst contains other nasty substances as well, including compounds called nitriles and cyanohydrins. Large doses of them are lethal, and chronic exposures permanently damage the nervous system.
That’s not just an upset stomach or diarrhea. Kudos to the person who figured it out and passed on the steps.
I always wonder if it was a teenager, trying to win a bet. They often have that intersection of constantly hungry/self-assured/no sense of mortality or consequences.
