Eating bitter bamboo shoot can be poisoned

Low-fat bamboo shoots, rich in easily digestible fiber and high in minerals. However, according to experts, if eating bamboo shoots without processing them, the person may suffer from tinnitus, vomiting, severe headache, coma, even death.

Photo: Science and Life.

Bamboo shoots themselves are bitter. The higher and higher the bamboo shoots, the more green the body is, the more bitter the bamboo shoots.

According to Master Do Van Ban, Forest Science Institute, the main bitter taste is hydrogen cyanide compound, the full name is cyanogenic glucoside. It is non-toxic in itself but is a source of toxic substances. When bamboo shoots are damaged (cuts due to extraction, processing, pests .), cyanogenic glucoside hydrolyzes into hydrogen cyanide.

This is just a biological reaction of bamboo shoots like in many other plants to produce toxins against harmful microorganisms, fungi penetrate through wounds.

Hydrogen cyanide compound is a toxic substance. Bamboo shoots can contain more than 1,000 mg of this substance per kilogram. The concentration of toxic substances depends much on the species of bamboo, time of keeping bamboo shoots, methods of preserving and processing bamboo shoots .

On each bamboo shoot, the highest concentration of poison at the top of the tree is the lowest. The more bitter bamboo shoots, the more cyanide contains and the more likely it is to cause high poisoning.

Only about 50-60 mg of free cyanide can kill a normal person. The amount of toxic substances affects the human body at different levels, depending on the amount of ingestion, body weight, and health of each person.

This substance can cause damage to the nervous system, limb fatigue, unsteady walking, buzzing ears, vomiting ., heavier will cause symptoms of shortness of breath, increased heart rate, blood pressure, headache, kiss passion and high mortality.

This substance has the ability to rapidly decompose in boiling water. So boiled bamboo shoots in 98 degree boiling water for 20 minutes can reduce nearly 70% cyanide. And if the temperature is higher, the longer time will decrease to 96%.

Therefore, if peeled, sliced ​​and then boiled before cooking, it will reduce or eliminate poisoning.