The universal edibility test (FM 21-76)

Do not test plants that have (FM 21-76)

• Milky or colored sap.
• Beans, bulbs, or seeds inside pods (unless you know the plant).
• Bitter or soapy taste.
• Thorns, fine hairs, or spines.
• Leaves resembling those of dill, carrot, parsley, or parsnip (hemlock family).
• Almond smell in leaves or wood (indicates cyanide).
• Grain heads with pink, purple, or black spurs (toxic fungus).
• Growth in groups of three leaves.

1. Test only one part at a time. Separate the plant into leaves, stems, roots, buds, and flowers.
2. Smell it. A strong or acrid smell is a bad sign (although smell alone proves nothing).
3. Fast for 8 hours before starting.
4. Contact test: rub the part on the inside of your elbow or wrist. Wait about 15 minutes and watch for a reaction.
5. Throughout the test take only purified water and the plant you are testing.
6. Prepare a small portion just as you plan to eat it (raw or cooked).
7. Touch a small piece to the outer lip. Wait 3 minutes: any burning or itching?
8. Place it on the tongue for 15 minutes, without chewing.
9. Chew a small piece well and hold it in your mouth for 15 minutes, without swallowing.
10. If there is no discomfort, swallow it.
11. Wait 8 hours without eating anything else. If you feel sick, induce vomiting and drink plenty of water.
12. If there were no effects, eat ¼ cup of the same part prepared the same way. Wait another 8 hours.
13. If you are still fine, that part of the plant, prepared that way, is considered edible. Do not assume the other parts or the raw plant are also edible.