Filipino Food Influencer Dies 2 Days After Allegedly Eating Toxic ‘Devil Crab’
Considered the most poisonous crab in the world, it is also found in Singapore waters.
A food foraging trip has reportedly ended in tragedy after Filipino food influencer Emma Amit allegedly died from severe poisoning linked to a toxic “devil crab”.
She was 51.
Emma, who was based in Puerto Princesa on the island of Palawan in Philippines, had shared a video on February 4 showing herself and friends fishing in a lake, and collecting shellfish and crabs from nearby mangroves before cooking a coconut milk seafood stew to try together.
Her last video ended with her biting into a sea snail.
According to reports, she began showing severe poisoning symptoms the next day. Witnesses said she suffered full-body convulsions while being transported to a clinic. Her condition later worsened, her lips turned dark blue, and she was transferred to a hospital where she reportedly fell into a coma.
Despite intensive treatment, Emma died on February 6.
After the incident, local authorities investigated her home and found brightly coloured crab shells believed to be from a so-called “devil crab” among discarded food waste.
Experts warn that certain Indo-Pacific crabs commonly referred to as “devil crabs” contain lethal neurotoxins such as saxitoxin and tetrodotoxin, the same poison found in pufferfish, can cause paralysis and death within hours if consumed.
The toxins cannot be destroyed by cooking or boiling the crabs.
Similar species have also been documented in Singapore waters, including locations such as Pulau Hantu, Lazarus Island, and Semakau Landfill, and are listed as endangered here.
There have been no reported fatalities related to the consumption of "devil crabs" in Singapore.
On the island of Palawan, the village chief has since issued a warning that many coastal residents are already aware of the crab’s toxicity and urged the public not to take unnecessary risks when foraging for wild seafood.
"Do not eat these dangerous devil crabs because they have claimed two lives here in our town," the village chief said in an interview with the media.
Authorities are also monitoring the health of friends who shared the meal though there have been no reported deaths since.
Photos: 8world, Emma Amit/Facebook
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