Patients with respiratory disease increased 1,700 person per day after the weath

[Admin]

28/3/2011

Patients with respiratory disease increased 1,700 person per day after the weather cooled down again.

See full article + Video in the News section:
http://www.buriramexpats.com/buriram-news/

[Pragmatic]

28/3/2011

Patients with respiratory disease increased 1,700 person per day after the weather cooled down again.

See full article + Video in the News section:
http://www.buriramexpats.com/buriram-news/

Living in Isaan is a health hazard. We're surrounded by Cassava, which is highly toxic and is banned for import into Japan on that basis. It contains cyanide and the symptoms of cyanide poisoning is difficulty in breathing. So people living down wind of a Cassava processing plant are more likely to suffer from respiratory problems. And with the increase of Cassava growing, and the problems associated with it , will escalate. In my opinion.

[boloa]

28/3/2011

Patients with respiratory disease increased 1,700 person per day after the weather cooled down again.

See full article + Video in the News section:
http://www.buriramexpats.com/buriram-news/

Living in Isaan is a health hazard. We're surrounded by Cassava, which is highly toxic and is banned for import into Japan on that basis. It contains cyanide and the symptoms of cyanide poisoning is difficulty in breathing. So people living down wind of a Cassava processing plant are more likely to suffer from respiratory problems. And with the increase of Cassava growing, and the problems associated with it , will escalate. In my opinion.

I would like to see some links please !!!!

[Pragmatic]

Google is your friend.

[Admin]

Living in Isaan is a health hazard. We're surrounded by Cassava, which is highly toxic and is banned for import into Japan on that basis. It contains cyanide and the symptoms of cyanide poisoning is difficulty in breathing. So people living down wind of a Cassava processing plant are more likely to suffer from respiratory problems. And with the increase of Cassava growing, and the problems associated with it , will escalate. In my opinion.

Thank you for the very important information, I am sure its a new fact for many of us.

CASSAVA: Food use processing and toxicity

Cassava roots and leaves should not be consumed raw because they contain two cyanogenic glucosides, linamarin and lotaustralin. These are decomposed by linamarase, a naturally occurring enzyme in cassava, liberating hydrogen cyanide (HCN).
 
Cassava varieties are often categorized as either sweet or bitter, signifying the absence or presence of toxic levels of cyanogenic glucosides. The so-called sweet (actually not bitter) cultivars can produce as little as 20 milligrams of cyanide (CN) per kilogram of fresh roots, whereas bitter ones may produce more than 50 times as much (1 g/kg). Cassavas grown during drought are especially high in these toxins.

A dose of 40 mg of pure cassava cyanogenic glucoside is sufficient to kill a cow. It can also cause severe calcific pancreatitis in humans, leading to chronic pancreatitis.

Societies that traditionally eat cassava generally understand that some processing (soaking, cooking, fermentation, etc.) is necessary to avoid getting sick.

"Chronic, low-level cyanide exposure is associated with the development of goiter and with tropical ataxic neuropathy, a nerve-damaging disorder that renders a person unsteady and uncoordinated. Severe cyanide poisoning, particularly during famines, is associated with outbreaks of a debilitating, irreversible paralytic disorder called Konzo and, in some cases, death. The incidence of Konzo and tropical ataxic neuropathy can be as high as 3 percent in some areas."
 
Cassava breadFor some smaller-rooted sweet varieties, cooking is sufficient to eliminate all toxicity.
The cyanide is carried away in the processing water and the amounts produced in domestic consumption are too small to have environmental impact.
The larger-rooted bitter varieties used for production of flour or starch must be processed to remove the cyanogenic glucosides. and then ground into flour, which is then soaked in water, squeezed dry several times, and toasted. The starch grains that float to the surface during the soaking process are also used in cooking. The flour is used throughout South America and the Caribbean. Industrial production of cassava flour, even at the cottage level, may generate enough cyanide and cyanogenic glycosides in the effluents to have a severe environmental impact.

A safe processing method used by the pre-Columbian indigenous people of the Americas is to mix the cassava flour with water into a thick paste and then let it stand in the shade for five hours in a thin layer spread over a basket.
In that time about 5/6 of the cyanogenic glycosides are broken down by the linamarase; the resulting hydrogen cyanide escapes to the atmosphere, making the flour safe for consumption the same evening.

The traditional method used in West Africa is to peel the roots and put them into water for 3 days to ferment.
The roots then are dried or cooked.
In Nigeria and several other west African countries, including Ghana, Benin, Togo, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso, they are usually grated and lightly fried in palm oil to preserve them. The result is a foodstuff called gari. Fermentation is also used in other places such as Indonesia (see Tapai).
The fermentation process also reduces the level of antinutrients, making the cassava a more nutritious food.

The reliance on cassava as a food source and the resulting exposure to the goitrogenic effects of thiocyanate has been responsible for the endemic goiters seen in the Akoko area of southwestern Nigeria.

People dependent on cassava risk cyanide poisoning and malnutrition diseases such as kwashiorkor and endemic goiter.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava

[Prakhonchai Nick]

As if Thai women were not dangerous enough, we now have other things to contend with. 

[boloa]

Google is your friend.

Did some Googling and came up with this PDF
http://www.researchintouse.com/nrk/RIUinfo/outputs/R7497_a.pdf
The facts seem to be there is a very small chance of getting ill in the possessing of Cassava and of course eating unprepared Cassava .IMO I would say we are more at risk from fertilizers and carcinogens they produce in the fish and food chain than a plant that seems to do more good than harm in feeding the worlds poor. 
A bit of scaremongering maybe Pragmatic  ,looks like my rubbarb plants will have to go but only if I was to be so stupid as to eat the uncooked leaves   

[Prakhonchai Nick]

I always grew rhubarb in the UK and no apparent ill effects

Do you really grow rhubarb in Thailand Alan? I tried without success!

[boloa]

I always grew rhubarb in the UK and no apparent ill effects

Do you really grow rhubarb in Thailand Alan? I tried without success!

No sorry I don't Nick  . Tomatoes ..YES 

More of a tongue in cheek comment .. as Rhubarb is poisonous if you eat the raw uncooked leaves   

And don't sit down wind of me after I've eaten cabbage as are  likely to suffer from respiratory problems. 

[nookiebear]

I always grew rhubarb in the UK and no apparent ill effects

Do you really grow rhubarb in Thailand Alan? I tried without success!

No sorry I don't Nick  . Tomatoes ..YES 

More of a tongue in cheek comment .. as Rhubarb is poisonous if you eat the raw uncooked leaves   

And don't sit down wind of me after I've eaten cabbage as are  likely to suffer from respiratory problems. 

Seriously a Welshman who is a avid gardner grows Rhubarb very successfully just outside Song Sang.

[Pragmatic]

A bit of scaremongering maybe Pragmatic

Not really. Look up Pragmatic. To save you the bother.

Pragmatic means "matter of fact." A pragmatic person is one who is sensible and practical. He believes in coming straight to the point in matters of discussion and has a no-nonsense attitude. A pragmatic attitude delves between the twin pillars of realism and practicality. A pragmatic person believes that "experience is the best teacher."

[boloa]

A bit of scaremongering maybe Pragmatic

Not really. Look up Pragmatic. To save you the bother.

So are you saying the PDF I posted is untrue and we should all be living in fear........I don't think so !!!!

[boloa]

Living in Isaan is a health hazard. We're surrounded by idiots burning plastic bags and rubbish

Now if you had posted the above I would have agreed with you,Asthma in children has gone down in our Village since the local Amphur placed refuse-bins for all to use instead of the locals having a fire every few days. As we all know how dangerous burning refuse at low temperatures is or am I just being pragmatic

[Pragmatic]

Sarcastic would be a better word.

[boloa]

Sarcastic would be a better word.