What are the most Dangerous Foods in the world?

Summary

Who Smarted? – What are the Most Dangerous Foods in the World?

Podcast: Who Smarted? (Atomic Entertainment / Starglow Media)
Episode Date: March 18, 2026
Theme: A humorous and educational adventure into the surprisingly dangerous foods people encounter every day—how to spot them, avoid risks, and the science history behind their dangers.

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Overview

This episode takes listeners on a fun, fact-filled journey through some of the world’s most dangerous foods. Hosts Trusty (A) and food scientist Dr. Spencer Sauerbach (B) explore how everyday foods can harbor hidden risks, why certain ingredients are toxic, and how food safety knowledge has evolved. Whimsical scenarios (pie shops, forests, grandma’s kitchen, international restaurants) set the stage as they break down famous deadly dishes and debunk common misconceptions. Through jokes, interactive trivia, and memorable storytelling, the episode turns food science into an engaging learning adventure for kids and families.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Raw Seafood – A False Start

• Trusty sets the scene at a clam bar, voicing concern about raw seafood.
  • Quote: “Oh, boy, I sure hope I don’t get sick.” – A, [00:31]
• Dr. Sauerbach assures that fresh seafood is generally safe, segueing into the central question: What foods are truly dangerous?

2. Rhubarb – Pick Your Parts Carefully

• At Patty’s Pie Emporium, Trusty is offered rhubarb pie.
  • Dr. Sauerbach warns, “As tempting as that pie may be, it may also be dangerous.” – B, [02:51]
• Main Risk: Rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid and are poisonous. Stalks are safe in small doses.
  • Notable Fact: “Oxalic acid… can lead to vomiting, stomach cramps, and in extreme cases, kidney failure.” – B, [03:38]
  • Tip: Only stalks belong in recipes; processed pies are safe.

3. Mushrooms – The Danger in Disguise

• Foraging in the woods, Trusty and Dr. Sauerbach discuss poisonous mushrooms:
  • Quiz Moment: “Which of these is an actual name of a poisonous mushroom?” Answers: Death Cap, Skullcap, Destroying Angel – all are real.
    • Quote: "They're all types of poisonous mushrooms." – A, [05:08]
  • Lesson: Many poisonous mushrooms look like edible types. The Death Cap and Destroying Angel can be deadly even when cooked.
  • Most Dangerous: Death Cap’s poison survives cooking and is responsible for over 50% of mushroom poisoning deaths.
    • Quote: “These mushrooms can cause damage to your liver and kidneys. And over 50% of people who've consumed the death cap mushroom die.” – B, [07:07]
  • Advice: “Never, ever, ever eat a wild mushroom that you find in the woods.” – A, [07:25]

4. Nutmeg – The Spicy Surprise

• In Granny Sourmilk’s kitchen, the duo discusses nutmeg.
  • Key Point: In small amounts, nutmeg is safe (and delicious), but in large amounts it contains myristicin, which can cause hallucinations.
  • Quiz Moment: “True or false: Having too much nutmeg can make you see things that aren’t really there?” True!
    • Quote: “Nutmeg contains something called myristicin, which… can cause hallucinations.” – B, [08:37]
  • Safe Limit: 50 grams (10-12 teaspoons) is the danger zone; normal use in recipes is totally fine.

5. Stone Fruit – The Pitfall of Pits

• Definition: Stone fruits include peaches, apricots, plums, cherries (all have a big pit).
• Danger: The pits contain amygdalin, which becomes cyanide in the stomach.
  • Quote: “Cyanide poison can cause upset stomach, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases, organ failure and death.” – B, [10:03]
  • Advice: Accidentally swallowing a pit won’t cause harm; toxicity requires consuming many pits. Stick to the fruit, not the seeds!

6. Foods Eaten Knowing the Risk (International Delicacies)

• San-nakji (Korea): Live octopus tentacles served so fresh they still move. No toxins, but tentacles can stick to your throat and cause choking.
  • Quote: “The still moving tentacles can grab at your throat, increasing your risk of choking to death.” – B, [13:40]
  • Memorable Reaction: “Okay, I think I’ll just stick to fried calamari.” – A, [13:46]
• Fugu (Japan): The ultimate risky food—a pufferfish containing tetrodotoxin.
  • Quote: “There is one food that is definitely the most dangerous food in the world. A food that, if not prepared by an absolute expert, can kill you almost instantly… Fugu.” – B, [14:07]
  • Only licensed chefs can prepare it. The poison causes paralysis and, while you’re conscious, can be fatal.
    • Quote: “You cannot move or speak, but you’re fully conscious the whole time.” – B, [15:12]
  • Stats: From 1993–2006, only one restaurant-related fugu death in Tokyo out of 23 reported poisonings.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Dr. Sauerbach’s wry humor:
  • "I would never say [clam-tastic]." – B, [01:14]
  • "Relax, Trusty. There's only teeny, tiny amounts of oxalic acid in stalks." – B, [04:22]
• Key advice, repeated often:
  • “Just stick to what you find in the grocery store and you’ll be fine.” – B, [07:32]
• Explicit don’ts:
  • “Never, ever, ever eat a wild mushroom that you find in the woods.” – A, [07:25]
  • “Only a highly trained chef should prepare [fugu].” – B, [14:50]
• Engaging trivia interactions:
  • “Smartypants, which of these is an actual name of a poisonous mushroom?” – A, [04:53]
  • “True or false? Having too much nutmeg can make you see things that aren’t really there.” – A, [08:27] (Answer: True!)

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Important Timestamps

• [02:30] — Rhubarb’s Danger: leaves vs. stalks
• [04:41] — Poisonous mushrooms and edible lookalikes
• [08:05] — Nutmeg and its psychoactive risks
• [09:23] — Stone fruit seeds and cyanide
• [12:23] — San-nakji: The choking risk of live octopus
• [14:07] — Fugu (pufferfish): The world’s most dangerous delicacy

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Conclusion

The episode closes with relatable advice: Stick to properly prepared foods from trustworthy sources! While food is delicious and can be adventurous, knowledge and safety matter. Trusty decides on “a nice, safe slice of pizza” after their culinary adventures—a perfect blend of reassurance and humor for kids and families eager to learn (and laugh) together!

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End Note:
Special shout-outs to young listeners, and a reminder that exploring science is always more fun (and less scary) when you’re “smarting” together!

This episode was written by Phil Fugu Jarmy and voiced by the cast at Atomic Audio.

Transcript

[A]

And now it's time for who Smarted Oysters Coming True Clams Casino. Right behind you.

[B]

Watch your back, boys.

[A]

I got a bowl of bivalves here. Psst. Hey, smarty pants. I'm here at Clancy's Clam Bar having some of their famous clams. And I gotta say, it's pretty nutso here. Who ordered the little necks? Hey, my neck's not that small. Little neck clams. Oh, and also. Oh, yeah, that would be me.

[B]

Here you go.

[A]

Thanks. Mm. Mm. That's a lot of raw seafood. Oh, boy, I sure hope I don't get sick.

[B]

Oh, I wouldn't worry about that if I were you. As long as the raw seafood is fresh, it'll be just fine. And I can attest that Clancy's Clam Bar has the freshest clams. Phew.

[A]

Good to know. And you are?

[B]

Dr. Spencer Sauerbach, food scientist.

[A]

A food scientist sitting at the next table. What are the odds?

[B]

100%.

[A]

Right. But also, as a food scientist, that makes you an expert on what's safe to eat.

[B]

Exactly. Bottoms up.

[A]

Mm. Mm. Tasty clams. You might even say clam tastic.

[B]

I would never say that.

[A]

Right. Forgetting that, Dr. Sourmilk, I must say, since you are a food scientist who happens to be sitting right next to me, it'd be a shame not to take advantage of that for inst. While oysters, clams, and sushi are all safe to eat when they're fresh, are there any foods that are not so safe to eat? Are there any common foods that can poison you? And how do we know to avoid dangerous foods? Oh, and are there any foods that can kill you?

[B]

The short answer to all of that is yes. I knew it.

[A]

All right, smarty pants, looks like we're going on a dangerous food fest as we take a tasty whiff of science and history on the smartest

[B]

who's smarted

[A]

who's smart? Is it you? Is it me? Is it science or history? Listen up, everyone. We make smarting lots of fun on who's Smart and. Okay, smarty pants, we left Clancy's Clam Bar, and now we're at, um. Where are we?

[B]

Patty's Pie Emporium.

[A]

Ooh, I love pies.

[B]

So do I. But some pies harbor a dark secret.

[A]

You don't say.

[B]

How would you like a nice rhubarb pie?

[A]

Oh, that sounds delightful. Smartypants. Have you ever had or heard of a rhubarb pie? From the looks of it, it's one of the most popular pies here at Patty's Pie Emporium. Let's dig in.

[B]

Well, let me stop you right there, trusty. As tempting as that pie may be, it may also be dangerous.

[A]

Really? But people love rhubarb pies. I love rhubarb pies. How can a rhubarb pie be dangerous?

[B]

Well, that depends.

[A]

Depends on what?

[B]

On whether there are rhubarb leaves or stalks in the pie.

[A]

Hmm. Smarty pants, what do you think? Is it better to use rhubarb leaves or rhubarb stalks in a rhubarb pie recipe? The answer is

[B]

stalks. Yep, you might think leaves sound tastier than stalks, but when it comes to rhubarb, not only do rhubarb leaves not taste good, they're also poisonous.

[A]

Poisonous?

[B]

Yep. The leaves of the beloved Summertime Pie Fruit Rhubarb contains something called oxatic acid. If consumed, oxalic acid can lead to vomiting, stomach cramps, and in extreme cases, kidney failure.

[A]

Whoa. Okay, but these pies just have sweet, tangy, delicious stalks in them, right?

[B]

Of course. Patty would never use rhubarb leaves. These pies are safe.

[A]

Great.

[B]

Of course, there's also oxalic acid in the stalks of rhubarb.

[A]

Wait, what?

[B]

Relax, trusty. There's only teeny, tiny amounts of oxalic acid in stocks. Not enough to pose any risk. Whew.

[A]

You had me going there for a sec.

[B]

And speaking of going, we've got lots more scary food stocks to make.

[A]

Great. Where are we now, Dr. Sourmilk?

[B]

In the woods, foraging for mushrooms, of course.

[A]

Of course.

[B]

It's important to know that some mushrooms are poisonous, while others are totally edible and delicious.

[A]

Smartypants, which of these is an actual name of a poisonous mushroom? A, the death cap, B, the skullcap, or C, destroying Angels? The answer is all three. They're all types of poisonous mushrooms.

[B]

A trick question. I love it. But what I don't love is how easy it is to confuse poisonous mushrooms for edible mushrooms. For example, the Destroying Angels mushroom looks a lot like your classic white button mushroom, as you might find in a cream of mushroom soup. Except eating one of those bad boys can cause vomiting, diarrhea, kidney failure, and even death.

[A]

Yikes. That's not good.

[B]

No. Another very dangerous mushroom that looks super close to a super tasty, super fancy mushroom is the false morel.

[A]

Sounds like the name is warning you.

[B]

It sure is. But out in the woods, there aren't any labels. Unfortunately, the false morel looks very close to the regular morel, which is often used in French cuisine. Only the false Morel contains a toxic substance called gyromitrin.

[A]

Sounds scary.

[B]

When gyromitrin breaks down in the body, it becomes monomethylhydrazine.

[A]

That sounds even scarier.

[B]

It is. Monomethyl hydrazine is actually used in rocket fuel.

[A]

Yikes. I don't want that in my body.

[B]

No, you definitely don't. It can cause really bad neurological symptoms, make your tummy super upset, and in some cases, even kill you. But even more dangerous is the death cap mushroom.

[A]

Wait, how can something be more dangerous than that?

[B]

Trust me. Trusty, it is. That's because the death cap's poisons stand up to cooking. So even if you grill, boil, or saute these bad boys, it won't help. If eaten, this mushroom can damage cells throughout your body. In less than a day, you'll experience intense abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, tremendous thirst, and lose tons of fluid from your tissues. These mushrooms can cause damage to your liver and kidneys. And over 50% of people who've consumed the death cap mushroom die.

[A]

Smarty pants, are you hearing what I'm hearing? Never, ever, ever eat a wild mushroom that you find in the woods.

[B]

Exactly. Just stick to what you find in the grocery store and you'll be fine.

[A]

Good idea. Let's get out of here.

[B]

Alrighty. Just follow me through the thicket of trees to my grandma's house.

[A]

Your grandma lives in the woods? She's not a witch, is she?

[B]

No, but she is a great cook. Come on, let's check out the foods in the pantry.

[A]

Mmm, it smells great in here. What is that?

[B]

Granny Sour Milk's fresh, fragrant nutmeg.

[A]

Ooh, I love nutmeg. Especially in pumpkin pie. Eggnog, potatoes, hot chocolate, and even Mac and cheese. What about you, smarty pants? Do you enjoy nutmeg?

[B]

Well, while this nutty, aromatic spice can

[A]

be delicious, I know. It can also be dangerous, Right?

[B]

Right. Nutmeg in large quantities can actually be poisonous.

[A]

Smartypants, true or false? Having too much nutmeg can make you see things that aren't really there. The answer is true.

[B]

Yes. Nutmeg contains something called myristicin, which, if you ingest or eat it, can cause hallucinations.

[A]

Oh, wow. There goes my eggnog.

[B]

Hold on, trusty. For nutmeg to be truly poisonous, you need to eat at least 50 grams. That's a lot of nutmeg. Most recipes call for half or a quarter of a teaspoon of nutmeg. 50 grams is 10 to 12 teaspoon. Stick to little sprinklings. Of nutmeg, and you'll be fine.

[A]

Phew. Not to mention, having that much nutmeg wouldn't taste very good.

[B]

Moving on, let's talk about another unexpected toxic culprit. Stone fruit seeds.

[A]

Uh, what's a stone fruit, Smartypants? Do you know? Is it A, a fruit that grows in rocky soil, B, a fruit that's hard as a rock, or C, fruits like peaches, apricots, plums, or cherries that have big pits in the middle? If you said see, you're right. Wait, stone fruits can kill you.

[B]

Well, maybe not kill you, but the pits can be dangerous. See, the pits of stone fruits contain something called amygdalin, a substance that turns into cyanide when broken down by the enzymes in your tummy.

[A]

Cyanide? That's like one of the most poisonous poisons out there.

[B]

Yep. It's no joke. Cyanide poison can cause upset stomach, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases, organ failure and death.

[A]

Smartypants, does that mean we shouldn't eat peaches and plums and cherries?

[B]

No, of course not. First of all, it's just the pits that are poisonous. And secondly, you need to eat a lot of stone fruit pits to get poisoned. Accidentally swallowing one or two cherry pits won't harm you. But just to be safe, just stick to the fruit itself.

[A]

Will do, Dr. Sourmilk. So far it sounds like all these dangerous foods can be easily avoided by just sticking to what's in the grocery store. But are there any dangerous foods people eat willingly even though they know those foods might kill them?

[B]

Believe it or not, there are, and some are even considered rare delicacies.

[A]

Whoa. We'll learn what those are right after this short break. And a word from our sponsor. Spring is here, and if you're a homeschool family trying to finish the year strong, I want to tell you about ixl. It's the award winning online learning platform that fits seamlessly into your homeschool routine, covering math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. What I love most about IXL is how it adapts to each child's pace. Whether your kid needs to reinforce foundational skills before an assessment or push ahead into new material, IXL meets them exactly, exactly where they are. With no pressure and real encouragement built right in. Kids earn rewards, see their own progress, and actually feel good about learning. And for parents, the real time progress tracking is a game changer. You always know exactly where your child stands. Plus, it makes learning fun. And you know, I love that. Over 15 million students use IXL and it's proven to improve achievement in all 50 states. So make an impact on your child's learning. Who smarted? Listeners get an exclusive 20% [e-mail] smarted that's ixl.com smarted for your 20% off. Now back to who's smarted. All right, where are we now, Dr. Sourmilk?

[B]

We're at a restaurant in South Korea.

[A]

Cool.

[B]

Now, do you notice something a bit strange on that man's plate over there?

[A]

Is it just me or is his meal moving?

[B]

It is. He's eating something called sanagi, a Korean delicacy that presents a unique set of risks. Basically, sanaki is a small type of octopus called long arm octopus or baby octopus. Don't worry, it's not actually a baby. It's just a smaller than most octopuses. In the case of sanaki, there are no toxins or anything poisonous about the tattoo.

[A]

Oh, okay. So what's the big deal?

[B]

Well, traditionally, sanaki is served fresh. Really fresh. As in as soon as it's killed, with a nice dousing of soy sauce and sesame seeds. But because the octopus has lots of nerve endings in its tentacles, it continues wiggling around on your plate even though it's dead. In fact, they'll continue to wiggle around in your mouth. And that's the dangerous part. While not poisonous, the still moving tentacles can grab at your throat, increasing your risk of choking to death.

[A]

Okay, I think I'll just stick to fried calamari.

[B]

But sanaki isn't even the most dangerous of all foods. There is one food that is definitely the most dangerous food in the world. A food that, if not prepared by an absolute expert, can kill you almost instantly.

[A]

Wha. Smarty pants, do you know what the most dangerous food in the world is? I heard a lot of different answers. Okay, let's find out.

[B]

Fugu.

[A]

Bless you.

[B]

No, no, no, no, no. Fugu is a type of puffer fish. It's a delicacy in Japan. But parts of the fish contain a poison called tetrodotoxin. It must be very cavity prepared, otherwise. In fact, in Japan, fugu chefs must undergo years of special training before they're legally allowed to prepare it.

[A]

Gotcha. This is definitely a don't try this at home situation, smarty pants.

[B]

The most poisonous parts are the liver, eyes, and skin. And only the specialty trained chefs know exactly how to slice and prepare the fish to completely avoid these poisonous areas.

[A]

So what happens if you eat a poisonous section of the fish?

[B]

You start with dizziness, headaches, and nausea. But if you have enough tetrodotoxin in your system, you become totally paralyzed. You cannot move or speak, but you're fully conscious the whole time.

[A]

Yikes.

[B]

After that, you start breathing. And.

[A]

And people actually eat this? Yep.

[B]

Like I said, it's a delicacy. And thrill seekers like the rush of the potentially fatal food. But again, only a highly trained shift should prepare it. In Tokyo, Japan, from 1993 to 2006, there were 23 reported cases of fugu poisoning, but only one took place in a restaurant.

[A]

Yeah, no fugu for me.

[B]

Yeah, I'll just stick to these fresh clams, mussels, and oysters.

[A]

Actually, I think I'm gonna get a nice, safe slice of pizza. Well done. A double shout out to Smartie fans Emma and Henry. In Corning, we hear you listen every night at bedtime and love learning new things to share with your parents. Way to spread the smarting. And for being part of our Smartie family this episode, Dangerous Foods was written by Phil Fugu Jarmy and voiced by Brad Rhubarb Rader, Adam Nutmeg Davis, Kim Danger Davis and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound design by Josh Hazardous Hahn. Our associate producer is Risky Max Kamasky. The theme song is by Brian Fresh Fish Suarez with lyrics written and performed by Adam Tex Davis. Who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colber. This has been an Atomic Audio production.