Regarding dietary taboos, this has recently been a topic of much discussion among netizens. One such claim is that eating potatoes with tomatoes, or potatoes with eggs, can lead to poisoning. Is this claim true?
Borscht, a soup made with tomatoes and potatoes, is a signature dish in Russian cuisine. Potatoes and eggs are also the most common ingredients in homemade salads. Therefore, the claim by the netizen that "eating potatoes with tomatoes or potatoes with eggs can cause poisoning" is not a fact.
However, there have indeed been online reports about an 8-year-old girl who, three hours after eating potatoes and eggs cooked together, developed a full-body rash, fainted near her school, and died on the way to the hospital. Subsequently, the claim that "cooking eggs and potatoes together can be fatal" spread like wildfire in the local area. However, experts have refuted this claim.
So, what was the cause of the poisoning death of the little girl in Chongqing?
— It's very simple. Both potato sprouts and green tomatoes contain solanine, an alkaloid glycoside. After consuming either of these foods, symptoms can appear within 10 minutes to several hours. It begins with a scratchy and burning sensation in the throat, and a burning sensation or pain in the upper abdomen, followed by symptoms of gastroenteritis, including severe vomiting and diarrhea. Additionally, symptoms such as dizziness, headache, mild disorientation, and difficulty breathing can occur. In severe cases, death can result from cardiac failure or paralysis of the respiratory center.