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spectras
spectras
12:59 AM
@RedwolfPrograms> a large majority of berries are poisonous. So unless either the granted knowledge includes that of extraterrestrial berries or we can define the world to not have poisonous berries, that does not help much (in that case let's just define it as having domesticated crops growing naturally and be done with it).

I guess they could organize themselves and do systematic testing to limit the number of deaths before they know enough edible species to make it a viable source of food.
Generally speaking, "easily available food" is an impossible thing to get naturally. If food is easy to get, species that can take advantage of them will strive until either they deplete them, or they become another specie's food. With more resources, you get longer food chains, but none of the links can be easy to get.
 
 
2 hours later…
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
2:58 AM
@spectras There are also ways to check if it's poisonous without dying involved. Unless we're talking nerve agents, it would work to taste it first, wait a few hours, then take a tiny nibble, wait a few hours, eat a berry, wait a few hours, then keep going up until you're sure it's safe to eat a bunch. If you wait a good 6 hours before and after, and stop if you feel at all sick, it's pretty safe.
 
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
3:12 AM
The way I'd expect it to work is as follows:
First week or so: Most people wouldn't have access to reliable food, but the few with experience could gather enough to keep them alive. Rabbit traps would provide skin.
First few months: The land is used heavily, collecting berries, small game in traps, maybe fish. Skin could be used to make slings to hunt larger animals.
First few years: Temporary settlements along rivers and forests would provide stable food, the land would last a while before being exhausted. Small game can be captured and bred for food.
Eventually, they would have reliable food sources from plentiful large game (think the Native Americans' use of bison for food and other supplies). They could establish semi-permanent towns, and farm sweet potatoes, beans, whatever works. At that point, it would be much easier to begin industrializing and making better tools for farming (since without domesticated crops or animals, yields would be vastly lower).
 
 
7 hours later…
spectras
spectras
10:48 AM
@RedwolfPrograms> it is possible indeed. However poisons are very deceptive, for instance swainsonine (a toxin produced by several plants in North America) disables glycoproteins, making your body unable to process food. This causes no pain, but you will die of starvation a week later, regardless of what you eat after.
And well… we're assuming you can touch the plant… some plants are so poisonous they can kill you from contact.

The US army survival guide describes a full safe procedure. It takes quite a few more steps (tasting is like step 4 or 5), and overall a couple of weeks.
 

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