Heavy Eggs

If you've ever been to Hong Kong, chances are someone has tried to convince you to try a thousand-year egg (皮蛋; literally "skin egg"), also known as a century egg.

If you refused, you did yourself a favour.

Many tested brands, most of which came from mainland China, contained either lead or arsenic.

A 60kg adult would have to eat 800 grams - or 16 eggs - to exceed the required safety standard for lead while a massive 19kgs or 380 eggs would need to be swallowed to pass the safe levels of arsenic consumption.

How do toxins get into the eggs in the first place?

Lead oxide added to the curing process, for one.

Not many folks are willing to eat 16 thousand-year eggs a week, but with this revelation, hardcore addicts had better hope that discoloration on their gums is just a stain and not a lead-line.

On the other hand, if they eat more, their corpses will be preserved for a thousand years.

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