Apricot seeds: Are they safe to ingest?
:format(webp))
The bottom line
Apricot seeds (or “pits”) contain amygdalin, a compound the body converts into cyanide. Cyanide starves oxygen cells and can be fatal. Symptoms may take time to appear because amygdalin must be broken down first. Swallowing one or two whole, unchewed seeds is likely safe, but swallowing the kernels inside the pit is dangerous, as the kernel is where amygdalin is concentrated.
Prevention tips
Eat the fruit of the apricot and discard the seed.
Remove the seed before using apricots in recipes.
Do not chew or grind apricot seeds.
Remove seeds before giving apricots to children.
Do not let pets eat apricot seeds.
This really happened
A 78-year-old woman made a fruit smoothie, not realizing she had grabbed bitter raw apricot seeds instead of almonds. Within an hour, she started vomiting. At the ER, she reported headache, chest pain, abdominal pain, and weakness. Lab results showed an elevated anion gap and elevated lactate. She received sodium thiosulfate, a cyanide antidote, about four hours after ingestion, and her symptoms resolved within seven hours. Her blood cyanide level of 1.4 mg/L confirmed the poisoning. She was monitored for 24 hours without evidence of cardiac or other toxicity.
Poisoned? Get expert help.
Don't guess what you should do. Get accurate answers online or by phone. Both ways are free and confidential.
OR
call 1-800-222-1222
Support Us
Your donation to our 501(c)(3) organization enables us to help those who prefer to go online when faced with a poison emergency. Our webPOISONCONTROL online tool and app is a free, confidential, quick and easy way to get expert help. It has guided more than a million users faced with a poison emergency.
Can you safely swallow apricot seeds?
The seed is the whole pit or stone at the center of the fruit. You can probably safely swallow one or two pits if you don’t chew it. However, swallowing the whole pit can be difficult, especially for children who may choke on it. Swallowing the kernel which is inside the hard pit is not safe since this is the part of the fruit that contains the cyanogenic glycoside amygdalin, which the body converts into cyanide.
Are apricot seeds poisonous? Do they contain cyanide?
Apricot kernels contain amygdalin, which the body breaks down into cyanide. Apricot seeds can contain up to 8% amygdalin, releasing approximately 2.9 mg of hydrogen cyanide per gram. Cyanide prevents the body’s cells from using oxygen. Symptoms of cyanide poisoning include headache, difficulty breathing, fainting, seizures, coma, and cardiovascular collapse. Symptoms may be delayed because it takes time for the body to convert amygdalin into cyanide.
How many apricot seeds are safe to swallow?
You can swallow 1 or 2 seeds if you swallow them whole without chewing them. Apricot kernels are not safe to swallow. Less than half of a large kernel or three small kernels can contain a toxic dose of cyanide.
Can apricot seeds cure cancer?
Apricot kernels cannot cure cancer. Amygdalin, marketed as laetrile or vitamin B17, was used as a cancer treatment. However, clinical trials found no evidence for its efficacy and a significant risk of toxicity from cyanide. Use of amygdalin for treating cancer is banned in the US.
What should I do if someone swallows apricot seeds?
If someone accidentally swallows an apricot seed/pit while eating the apricot, you do not need to do anything. The whole seed should traverse the digestive tract and be eliminated in the stool.
If the seed is chewed or if someone ingests several seeds and/or the person is symptomatic, contact the poison center or a health care professional. If someone swallows apricot seeds or kernels, or if you have a question about apricot seeds or kernels, use the webPOISONCONTROL online tool to get immediate help, or call your poison center at 1-800-222-1222. Whether online or by phone, expert guidance is always free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.
References
Arnold J. Severe poisoning associated with Prunus armeniaca toxicity in a patient with underlying cardiac disease: a significant risk for an aging population. Clin Toxicol 2020;58(11):1092.
Girardi F, Horowitz BZ. Cyanogenic glycoside plant calls increase to a regional poison center from 2010 to 2020. Clin Toxicol 2022; 60(S2):38.
Hantsch C, Simpson G. Cyanide toxicity after mistaken identity of apricot seeds. Clin Toxicol 2019;57(10):950-951.
:format(webp))
:format(webp))
:format(webp))
:format(webp))
:format(webp))