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Will eating vitamin C and prawns on the same day create toxic arsenic which has already killed one woman?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the FACTS really are!

Claim : Eating Vitamin C + Prawns Will Poison Us With Arsenic!

People are sharing this message on WhatsApp and social media platforms, claiming that eating vitamin C and prawns on the same day can create toxic arsenic which has already killed one woman!

This is a long message, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Very Educative:

A woman suddenly died unexpectedly with signs of bleeding from her ears, nose, mouth & eyes. After a preliminary autopsy it was diagnosed that death was due to arsenic poisoning. Where did the arsenic come from?

The police launched an in-depth and extensive investigation. A medical school professor was invited to come to solve the case. The professor carefully looked at the contents. In less than half an hour, the mystery was solved.

The professor said: ‘The deceased did not commit suicide and neither was she murdered, she died of accidental death due to ignorance!’

Everyone was puzzled, why accidental death? The professor said: ‘The arsenic was produced in the stomach of the deceased.’ The deceased used to take ‘Vitamin C’ everyday, which in itself is not a problem.

The problem was that she ate a large portion of shrimp/prawn during dinner. Eating shrimp/prawn is not the problem that’s why nothing happened to her family even though they had the same shrimp/prawn. However at the same time the deceased also took ‘vitamin C’, that is where the problem was!

Researchers at the University of Chicago in the United States , found through experiments, food such as soft-shell contain much higher concentration of five potassium arsenic compounds.

Such fresh food by itself has no toxic effects on the human body.

However, in taking ‘vitamin C’, chemical reaction occurs and the original non-toxic elements change to toxic elements.

Arsenic poisoning has magma role and can cause paralysis to the small blood vessels. Therefore, a person who dies of arsenic poisoning will show signs of bleeding from the ears, nose, mouth & eyes. Thus as a precautionary measure,

DO NOT eat shrimp/prawn when taking ‘vitamin C’.

After reading this; please do not be stingy. It’s our duty to take care of our friends.
Pls share with then.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Prawns and Vit C cannot be eaten together.

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Here is an older version that has been going around since 2014:

This is a story that happened to the relative of a friend of mine. If you love your family and your friends, just tell them about this story.

There was a woman who suddenly died with blood coming from her eyes, ear, mouth, nose, skin and tongue. After the authorities investigated, they claimed she died of food poisoning.

Before she died, she ate a lot of shrimp, but so did the rest of her family and they didn’t die. It turns out that the problem was that she drank a liquid vitamin C supplement immediately after she ate the shrimp.

Basically, Shrimp contains an Arsenic Pentoxide (As2O5) and when she ate shrimp, she drank Vitamin C at the same time. This caused a chemical reaction in her stomach. The Arsenic Pentoxide (As2O5) in the shrimp become Arsenic Trioxide (As2O3), which was very poisonous. Her heart, liver, kidneys, and blood vessels failed, and she died from massive blood loss.

So, be careful if you eat shrimp. Wait a few hours before you take Vitamin C. Don’t allow vitamin C and shrimp to occupy your stomach at the same time.

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Truth : Eating Vitamin C + Prawns Will Not Poison Us With Arsenic!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms, and here are the reasons why!

Fact #1 : This Is An Old Hoax

The claim that eating prawns together with vitamin C can poison you with arsenic isn’t new. It’s been circulating on email since at least 2001, before being shared on WhatsApp and social media in more recent years.

Fact #2 : Hoax Is Based On Actual Research

While many fact checkers immediately dismissed this as fake news, I need to point out that this hoax is based on actual research by the University of Illinois.

In 1985, three researchers in the University of Illinois’ animal sciences department reported that they unexpectedly found that vitamin C and cysteine can convert harmless arsenic pentoxide into strongly poisonous arsenic trioxide.

The unexpected finding by Gail Czarnecki, David Baker and John Garst concerns the way molecules of arsenic compounds are constructed. If atoms within the compounds share five electrons with neighboring atoms, they are said to be ”pentavalent” and are fairly harmless.

Several foods, especially shrimp and prawns, may contain high concentrations of such arsenic compounds. What the Illinois researchers found is that high doses of vitamin C convert the pentavalent compounds into trivalent arsenic, a highly toxic poison.

Cysteine, a chemical sometimes given as a treatment for heavy metal poisoning, also converts arsenic to the trivalent, highly toxic form.

That said, I have to point out that this research does not appear to have been published. None of the three scientists listed any paper on vitamin C’s effect on arsenic compounds:

While that does not mean that they were wrong about their findings, I should also point out that this finding does not appear to have been confirmed or even reviewed by other scientists / researchers.

Fact #3 : Risk Is Not Limited To Prawns / Shrimps

The researchers did not say that eating prawns / shrimps while consuming vitamin C can kill you through arsenic poisoning. They merely pointed out that shellfish, particularly prawns and shrimps, “may” contain high levels of normally harmless arsenic pentoxide.

In other words – any food that contains high levels of arsenic pentoxide can present with these risks. Not just prawns or shrimps. Common foods that contain higher amounts of arsenic include rice, Brussel sprouts, chicken, mushrooms, beer and wine.

Fact #4 : Risk Involves High Doses Of Vitamin C

The researchers also pointed out that the risk of harmless arsenic in food being converted to poisonous arsenic trioxide involves high doses of vitamin C – megadosing with vitamin C, as they called it.

Normal consumption of vitamin C would not convert sufficient amounts of arsenic to make a difference.

Fact #5 : Danger Was Long-Term Cancer Risk

Finally, the researchers never said that eating prawns / shrimps while taking megadoses of vitamin C can kill you with arsenic poisoning. They were worried about “chronic exposure” to arsenic which is carcinogenic, and can cause cancer if exposed for a long time.

Chronic exposure to arsenic is known to cause cancer in humans. We now must wonder whether megadosing with vitamin C increases the risk of cancer by changing the form of arsenic in food.

Fact #6 : Acute Arsenic Poisoning Does Not Present That Way

You can die if you consume too much arsenic, but you won’t die bleeding from your ears, nose, mouth and ears.

Acute arsenic poisoning presents with diarrhoea and stomach pain, cramps and vomiting (with or without blood), blood in the urine, and convulsions.

I should point out that there is no known case of anyone dying from arsenic poisoning after consuming both vitamin C and prawns / shrimps.

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Two batches of the Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Si Shen powder have been recalled over high levels of aflatoxin B1 and arsenic!

SFA Orders Recall Of Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Powder!

On March 29 2023, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) ordered the recall of two batches of the Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Si Shen powder, after it detected excessive levels of aflatoxin B1 and arsenic.

This is of utmost concern, as the Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Si Shen Powder was marketed as a natural herbal blend for young children transiting from liquid to solid feed. According to Eu Yan Sang, it is a preparation of brown rice powder, Chinese yam, lotus seeds, Poria (China root), Barley and Euryale Seeds.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has detected aflatoxin B1 and arsenic in samples of Eu Yan Sang’s Brown Rice Si Shen powder at levels exceeding the maximum limit stated in the Singapore Food Regulations.

SFA has directed the manufacturer, Eu Yan Sang (Singapore) Pte Ltd, to recall two affected batches of the product.

Arsenic is a heavy metal found naturally in the earth’s crust and in the environment. Aflatoxins can occur in foods, as a result of fungal contamination before and after harvest under warm and humid conditions. Long term intake of aflatoxins can cause cancer and liver damage, while long term intake of arsenic can cause cancer and skin changes. Hence, exposure through food, especially those meant for young children, should be kept as low as possible.

Consumers who have purchased the implicated products are advised not to feed it to their children. Those whose children have consumed the implicated products and have concerns about their children’s health should seek medical advice. Consumers may contact their point of purchase for enquiries.

Only Two Batches Of Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Powder Were Recalled

I need to point out that only two batches of the Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Si Shen Powder were recalled over excessive levels of aflatoxin B1 and arsenic.

Product name: Eu Yan Sang’s Brown Rice Si Shen powder

Batch No: 120
Expiry date: 13 May 2024

Batch No: 121
Expiry date: 17 May 2024

Country of origin: Singapore

Those who have these two batches should stop consuming them, and contact Eu Yan Sang , or the store they purchased it from, for a refund.

Danger Of Aflatoxin + Arsenic In Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Powder

SFA did not reveal the detected levels of aflatoxin B1 and arsenic in those two batches of the Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Si Shen Powder, only that they exceeded the maximum limit set in the Singapore Food Regulations.

Aflatoxins are toxins produced by some types of moulds that can contaminate crops before and after harvest. Aflatoxin B1 is the most potent toxin and is regarded as a Class 1 carcinogen, which means it can cause cancer if consumed over an extended amount of time.

Arsenic is a heavy metal that is naturally present in rice, and therefore, all products made with rice. Long-term intake of high levels of arsenic may lead to cancer and other health problems.

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Tag Archives: Arsenic

Can Vitamin C + Prawns Poison Us With Arsenic?!

Claim : Eating Vitamin C + Prawns Will Poison Us With Arsenic!

Truth : Eating Vitamin C + Prawns Will Not Poison Us With Arsenic!

Please Support My Work!

Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Powder Recall Over Toxins!

SFA Orders Recall Of Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Powder!

Only Two Batches Of Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Powder Were Recalled

Danger Of Aflatoxin + Arsenic In Eu Yan Sang Brown Rice Powder

Please Support My Work!