AUTHORITIES in South Korea have issued a formal warning to the population not to eat river rats, warning that the vermin are definitely not safe for consumption by humans.
The move has been sparked by increased interest in the rodents, also known as coypu or nutria, because of an academic article which noted their gall bladders contained high levels of ursodeoxycholic acid - the same compound found in bear bile, which is used in some Asian traditional medicines.
A representative of the Korean environment ministry told The Korea Times that "the rats' gall bladders and livers can be infected with zoonotic bacteria and parasites".
Coypu have been declared an invasive species, having only been introduced to the ecosystem from South America about 30 years ago by farmers cultivating them for their fur - only to find them extremely adaptable and able to destroy large amounts of wild plants and farm produce.
So hunting of the creatures is still encouraged,with the government offering a 20,000 won bounty (about $20) to assist with eradication efforts.
Just don't eat them once you've caught them, is the key lesson.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 16 Mar 17
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 16 Mar 17