Bongkrek acid

Bongkrek acid is a respiratory toxin more deadly than cyanide.

It is produced in fermented coconut contaminated by the bacterium Burkholderia gladioli pathovar cocovenenans. In particular, it has been implicated in deaths resulting from eating the soybean and coconut-based product known as tempe bongkrèk, which is banned in Indonesia.

It is highly toxic because of its effect on the ATP-ADP translocase mechanism. It shuts this system down, preventing ATP from leaving the mitochondria and providing energy to the rest of the cell.