Sugarcane is sweet and delicious, and many people enjoy eating it. As it is currently the harvest season, sugarcane is widely available, and cases of moldy sugarcane poisoning occur from time to time. As a major producer and consumer of sugarcane, Guangdong needs to be vigilant against poisoning caused by moldy sugarcane.
The pathogen responsible for moldy sugarcane poisoning is *Arthrinium* species, which produces 3-nitropropanoic acid and can damage the human central nervous system.
The characteristics of moldy sugarcane poisoning include a rapid onset of illness, with the incubation period as short as just over ten minutes and as long as 17 hours. Severe cases are mostly seen in children. The initial symptoms mainly include vomiting, dizziness, visual impairment, lateral gaze deviation, and paroxysmal convulsions. During convulsions, the limbs become rigid, flexed, and internally rotated, with the hands taking a "claw-like" shape, followed by coma. Severe patients may die within 1 to 3 days. Some patients are left with sequelae after the acute phase, with the main manifestation being neurological damage, which seriously affects the patient's ability to live.
The Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention reminds citizens to pay attention to the following points when purchasing and eating sugarcane:
1. Choose fresh, clean sugarcane without mold spots. The peeled part should be white, not reddened, and should not have a sour or musty smell. If the sugarcane's color is poor, appearing grayish-black or brownish, and white, cotton-like or fluffy substances appear at the ends, it has become moldy. If a few mold spots are found on a sugarcane while other parts look fine, some might think it's still edible after cutting away the affected parts, but this is not safe. Sugarcane with mold spots must not be eaten.
2. If the sugarcane has a foul smell, such as a sour, musty, or rotten odor, or a pungent, spicy smell, it should not be consumed.
3. A special reminder for those who enjoy sugarcane juice: it is best to buy sugarcane that is peeled and juiced on the spot, and drink it immediately. This prevents the use of inferior sugarcane and avoids poisoning after consumption.
4. If poisoning symptoms appear after eating sugarcane, seek medical attention immediately.