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Welcome to: natural toxins in food...
Foods are packed with natural chemicals that are essential to our health, suchas vitamins and minerals. But some foods contain potentially harmful substances  called natural toxins. Some toxins occur naturally in certain foods, while others are produced when the food is damaged, when moulds or other fungi begin to grow on the food. Dried red kidney beans contain natural toxins called lectins which can cause stomach aches and vomiting. These are destroyed if you soak the dried beans for at least 12 hours and then boil them vigorously for at least 10 minutes in fresh water. Tinned kidney beans have already had this process applied and so can be used without further treatment. Potatoes contain low levels of the natural toxin glycoalkaloids. Higher levels of these glycoalkaloids are found in green potatoes, sprouted potatoes and potatoes stored in light. Severe glycoalkaloid poisoning is very rare, but it's important to store potatoes in a dark, cool and dry place and not to eat green or sprouting parts. If you've removed the green parts and the potatoes still taste bitter, don't eat them. If you come across a green potato crisp, it's probably best not to eat it. Mouldy or damaged apples may contain a toxin called patulin, particularly around the bruised or damaged part of the fruit. Do not eat these apples or use them to make sauce, desserts or juice. Toxins formed by algae in fresh or salt water are called algal toxins. Shellfish such as mussels, scallops and oysters are likely to contain these toxins. In the UK, paralytic shellfish poisons (PSP), amnesiac shellfish poisons (ASP), and the less toxic diarrhetic shellfish poisons (DSP) are the most common shellfish toxins. During the period of greatest risk, April to September, notices are posted in areas with high PSP, DSP and ASP levels warning people not to eat shellfish caught locally. Fishing may also be prohibited.
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