Cassava should not be eaten raw, and people should not assume that a brief rinse or quick cooking step makes every variety safe. Established food-safety guidance for the specific cassava product should be followed.
Cyanide interferes with the body's ability to use oxygen at the cellular level. Significant exposure can produce nausea, vomiting, dizziness, confusion, breathing difficulties, seizures, cardiovascular collapse, and potentially death.
These outcomes depend on the amount of cyanide absorbed and the circumstances of exposure. They should not be used to imply that ordinary, properly processed cassava is inherently dangerous.
Green potatoes: A different natural toxin
Potatoes belong to the nightshade family. They contain naturally occurring glycoalkaloids, including solanine and chaconine, which help protect the plant against certain threats.
Levels can become elevated in particular circumstances, including greening caused by light exposure, sprouting, physical damage, and other storage-related conditions. Green coloration is associated with chlorophyll formation; chlorophyll itself is not the toxin, but greening can serve as a warning sign that glycoalkaloid levels may be elevated.
High exposure to potato glycoalkaloids can cause gastrointestinal symptoms and, in more serious cases, neurological effects. Cooking does not reliably eliminate these compounds.
Potatoes that are substantially green, strongly bitter, badly sprouted, or damaged should be handled cautiously and discarded when appropriate. Peeling may reduce glycoalkaloid exposure in some potatoes, but it should not be relied upon to rescue a potato that is extensively green or otherwise suspicious.