# What does...raw brain taste like? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 21, 2005, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-raw-brain-taste-like/309157 "2005-06-21T03:21:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-raw-brain-taste-like/309157/21 "2005-06-22T01:01:43Z")
> [@Stark Raven Mad](#): > > Have never had raw brain, though. Will make a note to try it at next available opportunity. IANAD, but I would strongly advise you not to. _Kuru_, and all that, you know… uh…did I just get whooshed again? ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-raw-brain-taste-like/309157/22 "2005-06-23T03:41:41Z")
Ah, excellent. Thanks for the info, all! 'Much obliged. ---
**Author:** ![Grither](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grither/32/425_2.png) [@Grither](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grither)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-raw-brain-taste-like/309157/23 "2005-06-23T04:31:35Z")
> [@bizzwire](#): > > IANAD, but I would strongly advise you not to. _Kuru_, and all that, you know… > uh…did I just get whooshed again? I was under the impression that Kuru was from eating human brains, and that CJD hasn’t been proven to be caused by eating brains…were those incorrect impressions? ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-raw-brain-taste-like/309157/24 "2005-06-23T11:22:16Z")
> [@Grither](#): > > I was under the impression that Kuru was from eating human brains, and that CJD hasn’t been proven to be caused by eating brains…were those incorrect impressions? I would \* hope\* **Ranchoth** hasn’t descended into cannibalism, but you can never be too sure. “Trust, but verify.” It was my understanding that CJD can be transmitted by eating meat contaminated with spinal cord material. It’s a pretty short trip from there to the brain, wouldn’t ya think? While a link may not have been proven, I sure wouldn’t want to be the one to put the hypothesis to the test. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-raw-brain-taste-like/309157/25 "2005-06-23T12:02:56Z")
> [@Grither](#): > > I was under the impression that Kuru was from eating human brains, and that CJD hasn’t been proven to be caused by eating brains…were those incorrect impressions? I’m not sure it has been absolutely proven, but brains and as mentionned spinal chord are at least the main suspects for the transmission of CJD. That’s why they can’t be sold anymore over here (actually, some specific procedure for removing them at the slaughterhouse is mandatory). ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-raw-brain-taste-like/309157/26 "2005-06-23T14:56:31Z")
> [@rjk](#): > > The first brain-transmitted disease I thought of is [_kuru_](http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1248.htm), formerly found among a tribe of cannibals in New Guinea. The linked article says the disease first appeared not long before the tribe was found by outsiders, which I didn’t know. I am fairly sure that the cannibal explanation for Kuru has been discounted. IIRC, the spread of the disease was related to mortuary practices and not because of eating brains. In fact, it is likely that cannibalism was pretty uncommon. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-raw-brain-taste-like/309157/27 "2005-06-23T14:59:42Z")
Here is a cite for my previous post. [Is there really such a thing as cannibalism?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_054.html). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-raw-brain-taste-like/309157.md?page=1)