Many in childhood were frightened by stories that the swallowed bone would forever remain in the stomach or even germinate. Of course, this cannot happen. Kernels are easy to choke on, they can damage the esophagus. But there is another danger — some of them contain amygdalin. After interacting with gastric juice, prussic acid is released from it — a very poisonous volatile liquid with a characteristic almond aroma and bitter taste.
Signs of poisoning — nausea, abdominal pain, stool disorders, rapid breathing and palpitations, nervousness, possible convulsions, sore throat.
Grains of which fruits should be eaten with caution
Bitter almonds
The fruit is found in the south. It is a champion in the content of toxic hydrogen cyanide — up to 3%. Fortunately, nuts have a rather sharp taste and aroma, so it is almost impossible to eat a lot of them. Nevertheless, adults are recommended no more than two or three nucleoli a day, and it is better not to give them to children at all.
Peaches and apricots
Contain up to 2% of a dangerous substance. Adults are advised to consume no more than 100 g of seeds per day.
Plum, cherry
They contain much less poison, but you should be careful to drink tinctures containing the seeds of these plants. After six months or a year of storage, they can already be dangerous, since under the influence of alcohol, it is released more actively and accumulates over time. This does not apply to industrial beverages, where the bones come out together with the cake.
Apples
The risk of poisoning is very low, since the concentration of the substance in the grains is small — 0.6%.
Safety rules
The listed products can be dangerous only in fresh form. Heat treatment deactivates the substance, fried kernels do not pose a danger. The famous French dessert clafouti, which includes cherries with pits, is also not dangerous. It is these fruits that give the dish a unique taste and aroma.
But note that freezing, for example, does not work like that. At high humidity, the content of prussic acid increases, so cherries and apricots with pits are not recommended to be stored for a long time in a home freezer.
