What can't the maltese eat?

[Hermit]

I once read that there is a particular kind of bean that no matter how cooked, is quickly fatal to maltese people but the rest of the world has no problem but I can't remember what it was. Anyone know?

[n00dles]

A Malteser!!

Sorry Hermit, couldn't resist!! :-))

Don't know, but will be looking out for postings - you've got me interested!!

[Hermit]

I reallly asked for that Noodle. Now we just have to wait for the inevitable maltese cross joke to appear.

It is intriguing isn't it? I was reminded of it when I read that some people develop a serious condition called favism from fava/broad beans and that susceptibly varies markedly across races but turns out that the maltese are quite keen on broad beans so can't be that.

[n00dles]

ooh, I don't know hermit "What does make a maltese cross?? he he!!

Of course you know who was partial to fava beans..........Hannibal Lechter....and look how he turned out!!!!

[mccfluff]

castor bean? but not restricted to maltese but that's all i could find

[beryllium]

aren't castor beans used for bomb making or something?....

[mccfluff]

yeah they've got ricin in them

[Hermit]

I hoe you'll keep trying guys. I think i might have read it when i was kid in Michael Caine's book 'Not many people know that'. I annoyed the hell out of my entire family one xmas after someone bought me that. I could barely get through a single page without piping up 'Did you know...' Sadly i haven't changed much.

[heathfield]

An extract from the Malta Medical Journal, (Nov. 2004), mentions a single incident in Malta of ricin poisoning from castor beans in a 70- year-old man. Maybe it started a new urban legend! See it here

[joko]

this cannot be true as it would imply that maltese people are somehow different to other humans

[Hermit]

It can be true becuase digestive systems are not identical between races. For example, most of the world cannot digest cows milk its a European/US obsession. Also the problem some people have with fava beans is some kind of genetic disposition and small island populations could be just the sort of place where that could spread to the whole population.

Is a common misconception brought on by political correctness that all races are the same. They are not, they are all equal but not the same and vive la difference I say, so long as we celebrate our differences not discriminate over them.

[beerbelly]

Human beans ??

Sorry , ( ive got heatstroke ) lol