Castor oil is an integral constituent of many food items that we eat, including candies and chocolates. Apart from this, some people have developed a habit of consuming small amount of it on a daily basis, besides forcing it down on their unwilling children as well. However, what most of us are unaware of is that castor bean is deadly, and that just one bean is enough to kill a human, while for a horse, four of it will be required to bring upon it a similar fate. Fortunately, the castor oil marked for human consumption is prepared with enough care to ensure it is safe. It’s the chemical ricin that makes castor beans so destructive, and it is due to its extreme toxicity that workers engaged in collecting seeds have strict guidelines to follow so as to prevent accidental death.