A number of foodborne illness outbreaks (also known as "food poisoning") from eating raw or undercooked fiddleheads have been reported in Canada and the United States since 1994. So far, studies have not determined the cause of these illnesses.
See Also
What Are the Health Benefits of Fiddlehead Ferns?What Are Mustard Greens—and How Do You Cook With Them?What Are Fiddleheads, Anyway?On the edibility of fiddleheadsOther types of ferns, like foxglove and bracken ferns, are not safe to eat because they may be toxic or carcinogenic.
Proper handling and thorough cooking of fiddleheads can reduce the potential for foodborne illness.
How the Government of Canada protects you
Health Canada establishes regulations and standards relating to the safety and nutritional quality of foods sold in Canada. Through inspection and enforcement activities, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency verifies that food sold in Canada meets Health Canada's requirements.
