Raw cassava root contains toxins that can be poisonous if eaten raw or not prepared and cooked properly. Do not eat raw cassava. There are 2 types of cassava, sweet cassava and bitter cassava. Sweet cassava is what you'll find at grocery stores here in the US and what is used in this recipe. While sweet cassava does contain toxins, they are concentrated in the peel. By removing all of the peel, both the outer brown papery layer and the inner layer, and cooking the cassava flesh completely through it is safe to consume. Bitter cassava on the other hand contains a much higher concentration of toxins throughout the entire root. Bitter cassava needs to be soaked in water for days then leached and cooked before it can be safely consumed.