Lincoln University has found 1080 poison naturally occurs in puha and other types of vegetables.
But don't stop the traditional boil-up: Waatea News reports three tonnes would have to be eaten in a single sitting for it to kill anyone.
Wildlife management senior lecturer Shaun Ogilvie says tests also found watercress contains minute traces of 1080, but nine tonnes would need to be consumed before it had an adverse effect. He said 1080 occurs naturally.
Dr Ogilvie, who's of Te Arawa and Ngati Awa descent, says he won't be giving up his pork, puha and watercress boil-ups as a result of the findings.