Scientific American talked about the deadly risks of fermented foods

Fermented foods are traditionally considered healthy, but some of them may conceal a deadly threat. We are talking about the bongkrekinic acid toxin, which is produced by the bacterium Burkholderia gladioli pathovar cocovenenans and is able to accumulate in fermenting food. This was reported on December 7 in the journal Scientific American.

According to the article, in eastern China, 12 people had breakfast with a homemade dish — sour soup and noodles made from fermented corn flour. After a few hours, they developed severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Nine people died within two weeks. The authorities found a concentration of 330 mg/kg of the toxin in the noodle samples, 20-30 times higher than the lethal dose. At the same time, cooking does not reduce toxicity: bongcrackic acid does not break down when heated and does not change the taste or smell of the dish.

Historically, the toxin has been associated with a product called tempeh bongrek, a type of traditional Indonesian tempeh. Coconut pulp is used in its composition, in which it actively reproduces. In Indonesia, this variety has caused thousands of poisonings, and the production of tempe bongrek was banned in 1988, but illegal production continues.

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As noted in the article, the danger exists in other products — fermented corn, rice noodles and sweet potato flour. In 2018, mass poisoning was registered in Mozambique: 234 people fell ill from the drink, 75 died. In 2024, the toxin was first recorded in North America: a man who cooked a dish of fermented corn flour died eight days after being admitted to the hospital. There are no such cases in Europe yet, but experts do not rule out their occurrence.

In addition, even the minimum dose of the toxin — 1-1.5 mg — is deadly for an adult. And since the toxin has no taste or smell, infected foods cannot be recognized without laboratory analysis.

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Medical Xpress magazine revealed on December 4 that the gut microbiome plays an important role in regulating sleep quality, mood, and overall well-being. When it is in balance and in a healthy state, sleep tends to get better, and if disturbed, a person often experiences insomnia, restless nights, and poor sleep cycles.

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