What Happens if You Eat Bad Sugar Cane? Potential Health Risks

December 29, 2025 •

4 min read

According to reports compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, consuming deteriorated sugarcane has caused fatal food poisoning outbreaks, particularly in certain regions of China. Knowing what happens if you eat bad sugar cane is critical for preventing illness, as the consequences can be severe due to contamination by toxic molds.

Quick Summary

Eating spoiled sugarcane can cause acute food poisoning from mycotoxins, leading to severe symptoms like convulsions, vomiting, and coma, and in some cases, death. The danger lies in molds that produce neurotoxins, which can cause permanent neurological damage in survivors. Identifying bad cane by its smell and appearance is key to avoiding this health risk.

Key Points

Neurotoxic Poisoning: Eating moldy sugarcane can cause fatal food poisoning from a neurotoxin called 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NPA), leading to severe neurological damage or death.
Visible Warning Signs: Look for signs of spoilage like abnormal red, brown, or grayish-black discoloration on the cane's cut surfaces or tips.
Check for Firmness and Smell: Fresh sugarcane is firm and has a sweet smell. Bad cane will feel soft, lack elasticity, and smell sour or like fermenting wine.
Severe Symptoms: Initial symptoms of poisoning can include dizziness, vomiting, and convulsions, potentially progressing to coma.
Long-Term Disability: Survivors of deteriorated sugarcane poisoning may experience permanent brain lesions and physical disabilities like muscle spasms.
Other Contamination Risks: Besides mycotoxins, sugarcane juice from street vendors can be contaminated with harmful bacteria like E. coli and other pathogens from unhygienic practices.

The Serious Risks of Eating Spoiled Sugarcane

While fresh sugarcane is a sweet and refreshing treat, consuming cane that has gone bad poses a serious, and potentially fatal, health risk. This danger is not from simple spoilage but from a potent neurotoxin produced by specific molds that contaminate improperly stored sugarcane. This mycotoxin, 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NPA), is the primary culprit behind outbreaks of acute food poisoning linked to deteriorated cane. The effects on the central nervous system can be devastating, leading to long-term disability or even death.

What Causes Sugarcane to Go Bad?

Sugarcane spoils primarily due to fungal contamination, most notably by species of Arthrinium. This occurs when fresh sugarcane is stored for extended periods, especially in humid or warm conditions. The mold growth is often unseen, but its presence signifies the potential for toxic compounds like 3-NPA. Factors contributing to this contamination include poor storage practices, delays in transportation, and unhygienic conditions during processing.

How to Identify Bad Sugarcane

Identifying contaminated sugarcane can be a matter of life or death. The appearance of the cane and its smell are key indicators. Avoid purchasing or consuming any cane that exhibits the following warning signs:

Unusual Colors: The tips and cut surfaces of the cane show abnormal colors, such as a deep red, brown, or even grayish-black. This is a sign of internal deterioration.
Fungal Growth: White, flocculent hyphae or mycelium of mold may be visible on the surface.
Unpleasant Odor: A fresh cane has a sweet, earthy smell. A moldy or fermented cane may smell sour, rancid, or like fermenting wine.
Soft Texture: A healthy stalk is firm and has a slight elasticity. A deteriorating cane may feel soft or lack its usual firmness when squeezed.
Dry or Dark Flesh: When the cane is cut, the interior flesh should be juicy, milky, and white. If it appears dry, or dark in color (especially reddish-brown), it has likely gone bad.

The Devastating Symptoms of 3-NPA Poisoning

Unlike minor foodborne illnesses, poisoning from bad sugarcane is a severe medical emergency. The 3-NPA toxin acts on the central nervous system, leading to a host of neurological symptoms. Initial symptoms may include dizziness, vomiting, and convulsions. In severe cases, the condition progresses rapidly to coma and, in up to 10% of reported cases, death. For those who survive, the outcome can be a life of permanent disability due to severe brain damage, particularly affecting the basal ganglia. Survivors often experience muscle spasms and dystonia, with one reported case showing persistent spasms for weeks.

A Comparative Look: Good vs. Bad Sugarcane

Understanding the differences between safe and unsafe cane is the best defense against poisoning. The table below highlights the key distinctions.


Feature	Good Sugarcane	Bad Sugarcane
Appearance	Shiny, lustrous, light green to yellow color with some brownish-red marks.	Dull appearance, abnormal red, brown, or black color on cut surfaces.
Texture	Firm and elastic when pressed.	Soft, lacks elasticity, or feels brittle and dry.
Flesh (Inside)	Juicy, milky, and white.	Dry, dark, or has a reddish-brown color.
Smell	Sweet and earthy.	Sour, rancid, or like fermenting wine.
Risk Factor	Low risk, provided it's fresh and handled hygienically.	High risk due to neurotoxic mold contamination.

Beyond the Mycotoxin: Other Contamination Risks

Even without the deadly mold, sugarcane can pose other health risks, especially when purchased as fresh juice from unhygienic vendors. Contamination can occur from several sources:

Bacterial Contamination: Poor sanitation during juice extraction can introduce harmful bacteria like E. coli or Salmonella, leading to typical food poisoning symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain.
Pesticide Residues: If not properly washed, the cane stalk can harbor pesticide residues that can enter the juice.
Environmental Pollutants: Contamination with heavy metals like lead or cadmium is a risk if the cane was grown in polluted soil or with contaminated irrigation water.
Pathogens from Infected Insects: In some regions, sugarcane has been linked to cases of vector-borne illnesses like Chagas disease, caused by pathogens left by infected insects.

Conclusion: Staying Safe with Sugarcane

While the sight of fresh sugarcane is appealing, a clear understanding of the signs of spoilage is necessary for consumer safety. The potential for severe neurological damage from contaminated cane is a risk that cannot be taken lightly. By carefully inspecting sugarcane for signs of deterioration—such as unusual color, texture, and odor—and opting for freshly prepared juice from hygienic sources, you can significantly mitigate the risk of food poisoning. When in doubt, it is always best to discard the cane rather than risk illness. For a deeper understanding of foodborne toxins, resources like the FAO's documentation on mycotoxin control provide authoritative information on the subject.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary danger is a severe form of food poisoning caused by a neurotoxin called 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NPA). This toxin is produced by molds, particularly Arthrinium species, that grow on improperly stored sugarcane.

You can identify bad sugarcane by several key indicators: an abnormal, often reddish-brown or black, color on the tips and cut surfaces; a soft, non-elastic texture; a sour or fermented smell; and internal flesh that appears dry and dark rather than white and juicy.

The first symptoms of 3-NPA poisoning typically include dizziness, vomiting, and convulsions. These can quickly escalate to more severe neurological issues, including coma.

Not all red coloration indicates a dangerous mycotoxin, but a common condition called 'red rot' should be treated with caution. Always perform the smell test: if it smells sour or rancid, it should not be consumed, even if red.

Unfortunately, many survivors of 3-NPA poisoning suffer permanent neurological damage. This can lead to life-long disability, often manifesting as muscle spasms, dystonia, and significant brain lesions.

Yes, other risks include bacterial contamination, especially in juices sold by street vendors with poor hygiene. Contamination can introduce pathogens like E. coli or Salmonella. There is also a risk of ingesting pesticide residues or heavy metals.

To prevent spoilage, sugarcane should be stored in a cool, dry place. For longer storage, refrigerating the stalks and wrapping the ends can reduce moisture loss and slow down deterioration. Freshly juiced sugarcane should be consumed within 20 minutes to prevent oxidation and bacterial growth.