This is the disclaimer from "Wild Edible Plants: Wild Food From Dirt To Plate". The Disclaimer is titled: "Disclaimer? Yeah Right!" and sums up my thoughts pretty well.
"If you venture out of your nuclear-proof, earthquake-proof,
asteroid-proof bunker into the real world, you might
be at risk. Yes, it's true! You may be hit by a bus or get
E coli or staphylococcus poisoning from a church potluck.
lf you kiss someone, you may get herpes, mono, or worse a
tragic relationship. On the golf course, you may be hit by
lightning. If you go ice skating, you may break your neck.
If you go on a hike, you may trip on loose rocks, fall over a
cliff, and die. Or you might be in the World Trade Center
at the wrong time.
Look, you can either curl up under your bed covers
and Live a safe, dull, insulated life reading about other
people doing things you wish you were doing. Or you can
join the .real world. If you venture into the real world, you
risk living your life to its fullest. You risk the rush of climbing
that mountain, of dancing all night, of scuba diving
in reefs of mind-blowing color, of standing in the rain on
an ocean viewpoint, watching huge waves crashing against
the rocks, of meeting me partner of your dreams. You risk
getting exercise and breathing fresh air. You risk making
life worth living.
So if you decide to venture into the world of wild foods,
you'd better prepare yourself for some fun, adventure, and
risk. Yes, there are risks to eating new foods that you've
never tried before. You might make some mistakes or have
allergies to foods you haven't been exposed to yet. Nature
has its own agenda and is not looking out for the safety
of humans and that fact provides some unpredictability
in all things wild. But if you are a reasonable student, if
you don't just jump haphazardly into eating everything
in sight, and if you pay attention to what your body is
telling you, your chances of any real danger are slim. For
the vast majority of people, getting into wild foods will be
nothing but fun. For that rare person who becomes that
exception, we may end up talking about your unusual
case in future books."
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