"Even a Small Amount Causes Vomiting"… Toxic Herb Discovered in Chinese Spice Purchase

Mangcho Has Around 13 Points
Hook-Shaped Barbs at the Tip of Each Horn
Large Quantities Cause Convulsions and Other Poisoning Symptoms

In China, controversy arose when ‘mangcho,’ a highly toxic plant that closely resembles the well-known spice star anise, was found being distributed in the marketplace.

According to Chao News on September 14, a resident of Zhejiang Province surnamed Huang discovered that mangcho, a poisonous wild herb, had been mixed into the star anise she bought at a supermarket while making braised beef. She realized this only after the fact.

Photo to aid understanding of the article. Pixels.

Thanks to Her Child’s Question About “Why Is It Called Star Anise?” The Mangcho Was Discovered

This incident was avoided thanks to a question from Huang’s child. When her child asked why the spice is called star anise, Huang replied, “It is called that because it has eight points (horns/edges).” However, her child noticed that one had 13 points, raising doubts.

Upon checking, the spice in question turned out not to be star anise but mangcho. Huang recalled, “I threw away all the leftover food (that had been cooked with mangcho). When I heard it was highly toxic, I felt scared.” When she returned to the supermarket to check, all remaining products turned out to be normal star anise. It appears that one piece of mangcho had been mixed in by chance due to their similar appearance.

“Mangcho Has Around 13 Points, Along With Hook-Shaped Barbs”

The left is octagonal, and the right is mango leaf. China Baidu.

Li Bin, a researcher at the Zhoushan City Institute for Food and Drug Inspection, explained, “Common star anise used in traditional medicine has eight points, and its shape is relatively short and rounded.” He noted that more than 80% of total production has this form, and while occasional variations with one or two more or fewer points exist, these are extremely rare. Both mangcho and star anise are from the same plant family, but mangcho typically has about 13 points, and there are sharp, hook-shaped barbs over 3mm long at the tip of each horn—a distinguishing characteristic.

Li warned, “Mangcho is a highly toxic plant; even a small amount can cause dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. Ingesting a large amount can provoke symptoms similar to epilepsy, such as convulsions and frothing at the mouth. In severe cases, heart failure may lead to death.”

Star anise is a star-shaped fruit that is used as a spice, providing both sweetness and a distinctive piquant flavor. Added to boiled meats or stir-fried vegetables, it helps remove unpleasant odors and enhances the taste of dishes. Alongside cinnamon, clove, fennel, and Sichuan peppercorn (huajiao), it is a key ingredient in China’s signature spice blend “five-spice” (wuxiang), found in a variety of dishes such as Peking duck, five-spice marinated pork, hotpot, and mala soup.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.