Plant Edibility Tests

Plant Edibility Tests

Warning

The critical factor in using plants for food is to avoid accidental poisoning. Eat only those plants you can positively identify and you know are safe to eat.
If at all possible, absolutely identify plants before using them as food. Poison hemlock has killed people who mistook it for it's relatives, wild carrots and wild parsnips. Mushrooms and other fungus can also be deadly. Do not eat mushrooms in a survival situation--there is NOroom for experimentation.
In disaster/survival situations, you  will often find yourself in a situation for which you could not plan, In this instance you may not have had the chance to learn the plant life of the region in which you must survive. In this case you can use the UNIVERSAL EDIBILITY TEST to determine which plants you can eat and those to avoid. It is important to be able to recognize both cultivated and wild edible plants in a disaster/survival situation.

Remember the following, when collecting wild plants for food.

·   Limit diet to plants positively identifiable or seen eaten by rabbits, rodents, beaver, squirrels or bears; other animals are not reliable.

·   Birds are not reliable.

·   Place small amount inside lower lip, taste for soapy, bitter, acid, burning taste for five minutes.

·   Increase dose every 6-10 hours. If no ill effect in 24 hours it is probably safe, but one should continue to use caution.

·   Avoid: Those with milky sap, (toxic) black spurs on grain (diseased) or that look sickly. Cook if in doubt.

·   Be cautious of plants with red in any part.

· Spit out SEEDS of ALL fruits-MAY BE POISONOUS

• Plants growing near homes, occupied buildings; or along roadsides ;may have been sprayed with herbicides or pesticides; or they may be contaminated from exhaust emissions-- avoid if possible. Wash them thoroughly.
• Plants growing in contaminated water; or in water containing Giardia lamblia, E-coli and are contaminated themselves .Boil or disinfect them BEFORE cutting, peeling, or tasting.
• Some plants develop extremely dangerous fungal toxins In order to lessen the chance of accidental poisoning, do not eat any fruit that may be starting to spoil; or is showing signs of mildew or fungus.
• Plants of the same species may differ: in their toxic or sub-toxic compounds content, because of genetic or environmental factors. One example of this is the foliage of the COMMON CHOKECHERRY.  Some chokecherry plants have high concentrations of deadly cyanide compounds, while others have low  concentrations or none. Horses and other livestock have died from eating wilted wild chokecherry leaves..
• Avoid any weed, leaves or seeds  with an almond like scent. a characteristic of the cyanide compounds.
•  Some people (especial those that may have an ulcer) are more  susceptible to gastric distress (from eating vegetation) than others If you know you are sensitive in this way, avoid unknown wild plants, unless absolutely necessary.
• Some very edible wild plants, such as acorns, and water lily rhizomes, are bitter. These substances, usually from tannin compounds tend to make them unpalatable. Boiling them in several changes of water will usually remove the bitter properties.
• Many valuable wild plants have high concentrations of oxalate compounds, also known as oxalic acid. Oxalate produce a  sharp burning sensation in your moth and throat and damage the kidneys. Baking, roasting ,or drying usually destroys the oxalate crystals. The corm (it is not a bulb)of  the jack-in the pulpit is known as "Indian turnip" but you can eat it only after removing these crystals by slow roasting or by drying.

©Al (Alex Alexander)D Girvan 1995