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Why did Adapa refuse the food and drink that could have made him immortal?

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Historical map showing ancient Mesopotamia with labeled locations of major archaeological and historical sites. Symbols and color codes indicate sites from the prehistoric era, Sumerian-Akkadian culture, Babylonian and Neo-Babylonian eras, Assyrian civilization, Hurrian era, late Persian, Greek, and Parthian eras, as well as marshland areas. The map covers the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, including present-day Iraq and surrounding areas.
Mesopotamian religion

In Mesopotamian mythology, Adapa refused the food and drink of eternal life because he was following the specific instructions of his patron deity, Ea.1

After Adapa broke the wings of the south wind in a fit of rage, he was summoned to appear before the sky god Anu to answer for his actions. Before Adapa departed for heaven, Ea—the god of wisdom—warned him not to consume any bread or water offered to him by the gods, as he claimed it would be the food and drink of death.1

When Adapa arrived, his intelligence and the intercession of the deities Tammuz and Ningishzida impressed Anu so much that the sky god decided to offer him the bread and water of immortality instead. Trusting the earlier warning from Ea, Adapa declined the offer, thereby inadvertently ensuring that humanity remained mortal.1