Food Influencer Dies After Eating Toxic Devil Crab
Officials in the Philippines are warning the public to steer clear of “devil crab” after a food influencer died from eating the poisonous crustacean.
51-year-old vlogger Emma Amit passed away earlier this month after eating a devil crab AKA the Toxic Reef Crab (Zosimus aeneus) in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
It turns out this crab is among the most dangerous crustaceans in the world, storing tetrodotoxin (the same neurotoxin found in pufferfish) and saxitoxin in their muscle tissues.
If only the crab’s name carried a hint?
These toxins are heat-stable, meaning they cannot be destroyed by cooking.
Consumption can be fatal within a few hours, leading to paralysis and respiratory failure.
During a livestream, Emma prepared the crab by cooking it in coconut milk along with other critters as part of a seafood Bouillabaisse.
The next day, she fell sick, and was convulsing while being transported to a local clinic. She died on February 6 – two days after eating the shellfish.
No word on whether Emma was aware of the crab’s toxicity, but apparently both she and her husband were seasoned “fisherfolk”, so locals are shocked she could make this mistake/take the risk.
Laddy Gemang, chief of Luzviminda village, said: “This is really saddening because they should have known. They live by the sea, so I know they know about this devil crab that’s dangerous to eat. So why did she eat it? That is what I’m confused about.”
“So to the residents of Puerto Princesa, I am urging you to be doubly vigilant. Do not eat these dangerous devil crabs because they have claimed lives here in our town. Don’t gamble with your lives.”
Seems the average lifespan of the Toxic Reef Crab is about to increase exponentially in the Philippines. Just a shame this sweet-looking lady had to pass on to make it happen.
RIP Emma Amit and thoughts with her friends and family.
For the man who noticed his coffee was tasting weird and so set up a camera which caught his wife trying to poison him, click HERE.
