AN Aishalton woman has died after reportedly eating undercooked cassava from a traditional Amerindian “Toma” pot. The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has confirmed the death of Pauline Thomas, who, along with her husband, was admitted to the hospital a week ago with symptoms of suspected food poisoning. The woman succumbed last Friday while her husband, Cosmos Thomas, remains in a critical condition.
The couple was air-dashed to the city after having eaten a meal of Kadakura, also known as ‘Toma’ (Amerindian form of pepperpot.)
Investigations revealed that the dish, made from the ‘cassava water’ extracted from the freshly grated cassava root, might have been undercooked and contained toxins from the starch. This is dangerous, since bitter cassava contains cyanogenic glycosides- a group of chemical compounds with a capacity to produce hydrogen cyanide. It could mean that the cyanide level in the meal might have exceeded the limit the couple’s bodies were able to detoxify, medical sources say.
It is for this reason that food products made utilising by-products of bitter cassava should be thoroughly cooked before being eaten.
Cassava casareep which is made from the same juice extracted from the bitter cassava, also needs to be thoroughly boiled and brought down to a thick consistency before the product can be considered safe for human consumption. Faced as we are with a severe shortage of bitter cassava locally, there is a tendency for some persons preparing the cassava casareep to attempt to shorten the cooking process. This is because, the longer the casareep is cooked, it tends to ‘boil down’ and become considerably reduced in quantity. Therefore, thin and runny casareep are signs of undercooking.
Symptoms of Cyanide poisoning
The clinical signs of acute cyanide intoxication include: rapid respiration, drop in blood pressure, rapid pulse, dizziness, headache, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, mental confusion, twitching and convulsions. Death due to cyanide poisoning can occur when the cyanide level exceeds the limit an individual is able to detoxify. The acute lethal dose of hydrogen cyanide for humans is reported to be 0.5 to 3.5 mg per kilogram of body weight. Children are particularly at risk because of their smaller body size.
Chronic cyanide intoxication may lead to the development of certain conditions including disturbance of thyroid function and neurological disorders. It tends to affect those individuals who have regular long-term consumption of cassava with poor nutrition status.

By Shirley Thomas