We often pay a heavy price for the sake of tasting all the delicacies the world has to offer, but in reality, we should have a sense of reverence for food. Now, we have listed six dangerous foods for you, so be sure to read carefully.
One, Beef
Deliciousness Index: 3
Danger Index: 5
To date, more than 100 people worldwide have died from eating beef infected with mad cow disease, and it is estimated that more than 2 million people have been infected with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (the human form of mad cow disease). The incubation period for this disease is 10-30 years, and the danger still lurks within the body. "If a person eats the meat, brain, or blood of a cow with mad cow disease, they may contract the fatal Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The human brain will also become spongy like a cow's brain, ultimately leading to neurological disorders and death." Such a description is certainly chilling. Fortunately, although Western food is becoming increasingly popular, Chinese people are still not a nation that is particularly fond of beef. Therefore, we are more worried about the day when "mad chicken disease" might occur.
Two, Salmon
Deliciousness Index: 4
Danger Index: 3
That lovely pink color actually comes from colorings in its feed, and its rich, fatty texture comes from antibiotics used in artificial farming. The chemical toxins remaining in its body are now sufficient to destroy the human immune and reproductive systems. Of course, its tender and delicious flesh still makes it the most popular fish for sashimi. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for the brain, retina, and nervous system, and can enhance brain function, prevent stroke, prevent heart disease, and prevent vision loss. It is truly a "treasure from the water," and given the current level of pollution, it is not enough to make everyone give up eating it entirely.
Three, Pufferfish
Deliciousness Index: 5
Danger Index: 5
1 gram of pufferfish toxin can kill 500 people, but "no poison, no deliciousness." The deliciousness of pufferfish has made it the "Diaochan" of the Chinese culinary world—the more dangerous it is, the more people crave it. The Song Dynasty poet Mei Yaochen wrote in his poem "Pufferfish": "In spring, green shoots grow by the water, and spring willows fly with catkins. When the pufferfish is in season, its price is beyond that of fish and shrimp." Pufferfish diners thus add a kind of "wind is bleak, the Yi River is cold" heroism to their experience. Before they pick up their chopsticks, they always ask the waiter to taste it first. Only when the waiter doesn't fall do they indulge. Diners in the East also have this kind of courage; they have already developed safe methods for eating pufferfish. The Chinese folk method is pufferfish meat plus radish. Every spring, a number of people always fall ill, but in China, there will always be successors.
Four, Civet Cat
Deliciousness Index: 4
Danger Index: 5
As a representative dish of the wild game faction, the unique flavor of the civet cat is fading from the Chinese palate, although it is still a terrestrial wild animal with mature captive breeding technology and is allowed on the people's tables. But "coincidentally," the SARS-like virus found on civet cats was surprisingly similar to the SARS virus that infected humans. It was also rumored that among the first group of people infected with SARS in the country, there was a chef from a wild game restaurant. The panic over SARS lingered for over a year, and the civet cat had to temporarily retire from the culinary scene. However, Chinese people's interest in wild game has not changed; if there are no civet cats, they will just find "civet foxes."
Five, Oyster
Deliciousness Index: 4
Danger Index: 3
The oyster, an aphrodisiac par excellence, was also the lifelong love of the great Casanova. The secret to his ability to be with a dozen beauties a day may be attributed to his daily consumption of 40 raw oysters. The beauty of the oyster lies in its freshness, so the advice to "cook for at least 5 minutes before eating" is basically an impractical "safety fallacy" from those who don't understand true delicacy. The best oysters in the world come from Europe, North America, and Japan. If you don't have enough money to eat in these reliable and hygienic places, you will have to suffer from diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. The reason is simple: our aquaculture environments and oceans are suffering from industrial pollution, and the oyster, just like its body, is a garbage recycling station.
Six, Crab
Deliciousness Index: 4
Danger Index: 3
The first person to eat a crab has long since passed away. In the golden autumn season, holding a crab and drinking wine is one of the great culinary joys of life for the Chinese people. However, this scavenger is also a diarrhea-causing agent that harms the stomach and intestines. Especially, it cannot be eaten with persimmons, as the combination immediately causes food poisoning. Other foods that have similar reactions include: pears, peanuts, eggplant, muskmelons, and even ice and tea. To eat one crab, you have to avoid so many things, but can you really avoid them all? You will always be caught off guard. Furthermore, there are rumors of hormones used in crab farming, the ferocity of "red tides," and the trick of feeding birth control pills to crabs during their spawning season. As a signature dish in numerous seafood restaurants across the country, the crab has inevitably become a high-risk food item.