Over 200 People Are Killed by the “World’s Deadliest Food” Every Year — But Nearly 500 Million Still Eat It

It feeds millions. It fuels economies. It’s a staple in diets across Africa, South America, and the Caribbean. And yet, this everyday root vegetable can be deadly.

Meet cassava — a humble, starchy tuber that sustains nearly 500 million people worldwide, but also earns the grim title of “the world’s deadliest food” when improperly prepared.

Every year, over 200 people die from cassava-related poisoning — and thousands more suffer permanent paralysis or neurological damage. Yet, paradoxically, it remains a lifeline for communities where food security is fragile.

How can a food be both so essential and so dangerous?

What Is Cassava?

Cassava (also known as yuca, not to be confused with yucca the ornamental plant) is a hardy, drought-resistant root vegetable native to South America. Its starchy flesh is a rich source of carbohydrates, making it a vital calorie source in tropical regions.

It comes in two main types:

Sweet cassava – Lower in toxins, safer to eat with basic cooking.
Bitter cassava – Contains high levels of cyanogenic glycosides, which release cyanide when consumed.
Fun fact: Tapioca pearls, garri, fufu, and cassava flour are all made from cassava.

Why Is Cassava Dangerous?
The danger lies in how it’s processed.

Bitter cassava naturally contains linamarin, a compound that converts into hydrogen cyanide when the plant cells are damaged (e.g., during peeling, grating, or chewing).

If not properly detoxified, eating bitter cassava can lead to:

Acute cyanide poisoning – Symptoms include nausea, dizziness, rapid breathing, convulsions, and death within hours.
Konzo – A paralyzing neurological disease affecting the legs, primarily seen in malnourished populations in Central Africa.
Tropical ataxic neuropathy – A chronic condition causing blindness, deafness, and loss of coordination.
In fact, cassava is responsible for more cases of food-related cyanide poisoning worldwide than any other food crop, according to the World Health Organization.

How Does Poisoning Happen?

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