Be cautious ofthe toxin inmung bean pods.

Mung bean pods, also known assmall knife beans,white rice beans,string beans,French beans,and haricot beans,vary by region and are long and slightly swollen, 10-15 cm in length and about 1 cm wide.Before maturity, they are green or light yellow; after maturing, they usually turn to off-white, white-yellow, or brownish-yellow.Each pod contains 4-10 seeds with shapes ranging from oval to kidney-shaped, flat round, long round, etc.They contain two types of toxins: saponins and protease inhibitors,which are irritating to the cell membrane and can damage red blood cells.These toxins irritate the gastrointestinal tract, causing local congestion, edema, and hemorrhagic inflammation.This can lead to hemolysis in human red blood cells.However, these toxins can be destroyed when cooked thoroughly at over 100 degrees Celsius.If improperly processed, with incomplete cooking, mung bean pods entering the body may cause poisoning.

Some canteens have small pots but prepare many mung bean pods,resulting in uneven heating and inadequate removal of toxins.Some chefs blanch mung bean pods before stir-frying them, believing that this double cooking ensures safety;however, this is not sufficient as the cooking is not thorough enough to destroy the toxins.Other chefs prefer the color of cooked mung bean pods and avoid overcooking them,resulting in undercooked mung bean pods which can cause poisoning.

Mung bean pod poisoning typically presents within 30 minutes to several hours after consumption.Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, as well as headache, dizziness, and cold sweats.Sometimes there are symptoms such as numbness in the limbs, burning sensation in the stomach, palpitations, and back pain.

Mung bean pod poisoning can be treated by:

1. For mild cases, rest quietly and drink sugar water or strong tea in small amounts;

2. For severe cases with persistent vomiting or dehydration, or signs of hemolysis, seek medical attention immediately;

3. Traditional remedies such as drinking a decoction made from licorice andmung beanscan be effective.

To prevent mung bean pod poisoning,

ensure that all pods are cooked thoroughly.The amount of beans should not exceed half the pot's capacity, cook with oil, add water, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes while stirring occasionally to ensure even heating.Also, avoid buying or eating old mung bean pods; remove both ends and the pod,as these parts contain more toxins.Mung beans should appear free of their original green color, without any beany smell.