The statements in this article are based on reliable sources and are repeated at the end of this article
In the middle of the last century, just after the founding of the People's Republic of China, a severe famine broke out on the mainland, and people at that time had to rely on grass roots, tree bark and even dangerous and harmful food to satisfy their hunger.
In this extremely difficult and difficult era, there is a mysterious crop that has quickly become a "life-saving straw" for people. It is both high-yielding and widely cultivated, giving people a glimmer of hope.
But this life-saving existence actually contains a highly toxic ingredient that can kill people, so why would people risk their lives to eat it? And today, this crop is still widely cultivated, what is the reason for this?
01
Cassava "hurts" incident
In 2019, in Heng County, Nanning, Guangxi, there was a heart-wrenching cassava poisoning case, a pair of parents in order to make a living, handed over their four-year-old son to the care of grandparents, but unexpectedly, in a daily diet, the child died because of eating cassava, this tragedy once again attracted attention to cassava poisoning, but also reminded people to pay attention to food safety.
The harmful components in cassava need to arouse people's high vigilance, cassava contains harmful components such as hydrocyanic acid and gossypol, and eating it without proper cooking will cause great danger, especially the whole cassava plant is toxic, even if it brings nutrients to people, there is also a fatal risk.
There are common misconceptions about eating cassava, such as the fact that some people cook cassava without peeling it, or eat it when it's not fully cooked, which can have serious consequences.
At the same time, some people blindly believe that the cassava they grow is safe, but they do not realize that their own experience may be insufficient, thus ignoring the potential dangers of food safety.
There are also some cases of illegal use of cassava, such as products that are often advertised as "sweet potato" vermicelli but actually contain cassava ingredients in the market, which is tantamount to endangering the health of consumers, so the public needs to enhance the awareness of food safety to avoid being deceived and causing cassava poisoning.
The key to eating cassava correctly and safely is to handle it correctly, cook it until it is completely soft before eating, always keep an eye out for any abnormal symptoms, and avoid buying products from unknown sources as much as possible.
Only in this way can we avoid the recurrence of tragedies and ensure food safety and people's health.
02
Too toxic
At the beginning of the 20th century, China's food situation was very bad, and many people faced the dilemma of food shortages. At this time, a tropical crop from Brazil began to be introduced to the country, and that was cassava.
People call cassava the "king of starch" because it is rich in starch, which fills the stomach and provides ample energy.
Although much was known about the toxicity of cassava at the time, they decided to grow cassava on a large scale as a relief food despite starvation.
Cassava has the advantage of its high yield, long life expectancy, and its rapid reproduction and ability to adapt quickly to a variety of climates.
After large-scale planting trials, cassava showed excessive yields: more than two tons of cassava could be harvested on one acre, giving new hope to those barren areas.
Although cassava can increase yields on fertile soil, high yields still require proper cultivation and careful care.
The problem with cassava has always been that it is highly toxic, and untreated cassava can cause life-threatening problems such as vomiting and diarrhea.
In order to eliminate these risks, various methods of processing cassava have been developed, such as peeling, soaking, and high-temperature cooking, to ensure that the toxicity in cassava is completely eliminated.
Compared with sweet potatoes, cassava is not only delicate in taste, rich in nutrients, but also more filling in the stomach, despite the emergence of modern technology and various food varieties, but cassava as a crop with rich historical traditions and unique characteristics, is still favored by people.
In addition, the development of modern agriculture also needs to take into account the issues of sustainability and efficient use of resources, and in-depth research and promotion of cassava cultivation can not only improve food safety and economic benefits, but also bring new uses and market demand to meet the changing needs of people's lives.
03
Uses of cassava
Cassava is an ordinary but extremely valuable crop, because of its high starch content and wide range of uses, it is valued worldwide, as an important agricultural product, cassava not only meets people's food needs, but also plays a huge role in medicine, industry and environmental protection.
The main processed products and applications of cassava include food products such as vermicelli, bread, confectionery, tablets, feed, biofuels, and applications outside the food industry such as medical, feed, and biofuels.
Tapioca flour plays an important role in many foods due to its unique properties, such as the Q-bomb pearls in bubble tea, which are made from tapioca flour. Tapioca flour is also widely used in bread, vermicelli, candy and other foods, which can not only improve the taste and texture of food, but also improve the stability and shelf life of food.
Farmers can reap quick rewards when it comes to the judicious use of cassava, which has a short ripening cycle and is more adaptable to the environment.
The treatment of cassava toxins mainly involves thorough removal of the epidermis, soaking to remove the toxins, and the most critical step is cooking. Cassava exported to developing countries has the advantage of low price and high nutritional value.
Cassava can be cooked in a variety of ways, from steamed cassava cake to sweet cassava in syrup to tapioca dumplings, each of which brings out the unique flavor of cassava, and tapioca starch can be used to process other products, such as pearls in bubble tea.
The medicinal value of cassava is mainly reflected in the exercise of high blood pressure, swelling and detoxification, and the relief of constipation, etc., and cassava also plays an important role in environmental protection, such as the manufacture of so-called "green gasoline", which has less impact on the environment.
In poor areas, the question of how to meet the living needs of local people is particularly important, and the medical and industrial value of cassava provides the possibility for local residents to survive and develop.
04
Are sprouted potatoes also poisonous?
Potatoes are one of the common ingredients in our daily life, whether they are eaten directly or used for cooking, potatoes give one of the best tastes and satietiety.
However, potatoes often encounter some problems during storage, such as shrinkage and wilting or sprouts, especially when potatoes grow small sprouts, we are told that they are poisonous and cannot be eaten, this statement is so common that almost everyone knows it. But what is the truth?
The small sprouts that have sprouted are indeed worrying, not a sign of their vitality, but a warning that there may be a deadly toxin called solanine lurking in our potatoes.
Lycnine is a weakly alkaline bioglycoside, not only has strong corrosiveness, but also is terrible is that it has hemolysis, once accidentally ingested, it may make the human body dizzy, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and a series of poisoning symptoms, and may even make life fall into the situation of the first, so in the face of these small buds, we must not take it lightly, we must be cautious to ensure food safety.
In fact, although sprouted potatoes are poisonous, they are not inedible, and when small sprouts grow, we can remove the toxicity by removing the skin and cooking them thoroughly.
The epidermis can be removed by carefully operating with a knife, removing the small buds from the skin, and then washing them with water, making sure to cook them for at least 30 minutes while cooking, to ensure that the toxicity of solanine is completely destroyed.
However, once you find that the sprouts of potatoes have been overly strong, the surface color has changed, and even emit a strange smell, then for your own safety and health, the wisest choice is to avoid eating these potatoes to avoid unnecessary harm to the body.
In daily life, in order to avoid potatoes sprouting, we can choose a suitable storage environment, such as a cool and dry place, and pay attention to light exposure. Consider using storage additives, such as baking soda or other chemicals, to help keep potatoes fresher longer.
Even when potatoes sprout, they can be used creatively in other ways, such as to remove oil from clothing, as a raw material for biofuel production, or to ferment them into kimchi, all of which are new ways to bring out the usefulness of potatoes.
When it comes to sprouted potatoes, we need to know how to handle them safely and store them properly, and sprouted potatoes don't have to be eaten, as long as they are handled properly, we can enjoy the deliciousness it brings.
Don't be bothered by the misconception that you can't eat it because it's poisonous, and I hope everyone can eat potatoes with peace of mind and enjoy the delicious taste it brings.
Resources
[1] Guangming Network Don't eat too much cassava food at a time-Today's headlines-Mobile Guangming Network
[2] Beiqingwang Sprouted potatoes cannot be eaten and will cause human poisoning