Understand how cassava can release cyanide and learn about the risks of improper preparation.

Cassava is found on tables from Brazil to Vietnam, but few know that, if improperly processed, the root can produce cyanide.

This toxic cassava, if poorly prepared, has already caused outbreaks and even the neurological disease konzo.

The good news? With simple care, the danger disappears and the flavor remains.

What makes cassava potentially dangerous?

The “bitter” variety concentrates cyanogenic glycosides.

When the root is grated or bitten, enzymes release cyanide — the same poison famous in spy stories.