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Thanks for the thorough overview.

Can you elaborate on

- risks for Ashkenazim

- which plant families actually contain notable amounts of AA? I.e., do all ginger types pose a risk?

Ashkenazim have relatively high rates of inherited BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. These are associated with high lifetime risk of breast and ovarian cancer, but also prostate and pancreatic cancer. If someone with Ashkenazi heritage gets one of these cancers, they are reflexively tested for BRCA1/2 mutations. There are various mitigating strategies, so it is worth finding out I think, but the right way to go about it is to see a genetic counsellor.

About the AA, it seems to be herbal supplements that are the primary concern (see https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_141.html). Normal ginger is fine, wild ginger is the problem. Wild ginger isn’t used in cooking as I understand it.

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