AT LEAST 27 primary school children today died and 100 others were hospitalised after eating a snack during their morning break in the southern Phillippines.

 

The children at the school in Mabini are all thought to have eaten deep-fried cassava, which can be deadly if it is not prepared properly before eating.

 

If it is eaten raw, the digestive system turns the root into poisonous cyanide.

 

Dr Harold Gallego, of the Garcia Memorial Provincial Hospital said some of the children only took two bites of the snack because it tasted bitter - but the effects were felt 10 minutes later.

 

One of the two women who prepared the snack was also hospitalised.

 

Treatment was delayed for the children because the nearest hospital is 20 miles from the school.

 

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2005111235,00.html

 

:stunned:

what the .... :stunned:

Yeah, heared it on the radio :o

seriously, that's so messed up :confused:

Why the hell would you make a potentially fatal "snack" for school kids? Madness!!

Why the hell would you make a potentially fatal "snack" for school kids? Madness!!

crazy! :stunned:

:stunned:

 

that's so tragic!

:stunned: That's completely crazy! And the fact that they couldn't be treated because the hospital was so far away! :stunned:

Poor kids! :/

that's awful.

oh wow, that's ridiculous :stunned:

so sad.

Actually cassava is considered to be a very popular snack there. There are a lot of dishes which consist of this ingredient.

 

According to another article I read on this, the school didn't prepare it for them, the kids got it from a normal street vendor which was by their school. Street vendors sell cassava everywhere there! It's just unfortunate that it was that particular one that wasn't cooked properly.

deep-fried cassava... my favorite!

 

and yes, that sucks.

not wanting to sound like an idiot here, but what is cassava?

what is cassava?

 

Uh..i can't really describe it..it's like a sweet root vegetable...or fruit..no, definitely vegetable....or fruit. I don't know. But it's a root. :lol:

i have no idea what it is either. typical american :cool:

Gosh that's terrible :cry: