Fact Check: Can apple seeds kill you with cyanide?

Hyderabad: A Facebook post claiming that consuming apple seeds is fatal to humans is being widely circulated on social media.

According to the post, apple seeds contain cyanide and eating 20 apple cores leads to death in adults whereas even eating less than that leads to paralysis, coma and brain damage.

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is misleading.

Apple is one of the most popular and healthy fruits. Going by the popular saying ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ apples have been proven to be a healthy food.

However, consuming its tiny black seeds can be harmful in certain conditions.

Studies have confirmed that apple seeds contain amygdalin, a substance that releases cyanide when it reacts with human digestive enzymes.

But there is no need to panic if you have consumed a few seeds accidentally as the level of chemicals, even what is produced by consuming 20 seeds, is neither fatal nor can cause paralysis.

According to Healthline, “Cyanide is a chemical known as one of the deadliest poisons. Many compounds that contain cyanide—called cyanoglycosides—are found in nature, often in fruit seeds. Amygdalin is one of these. Apple seeds, and many other fruit seeds or pits, have a strong outer layer resistant to digestive juices. But if you chew the seeds, amygdalin could be released into the body and produce cyanide. Small amounts can be detoxified by enzymes in your body. However, large amounts can be dangerous.”

Can eating 20 apple cores lead to death?

No, it can’t. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Disease Prevention, “1–2 mg/kg is a fatal oral dose of cyanide for a 154 lbs. (70 kg) man.”

Taking this into consideration, one would need to finely chew and consume over 200 apple seeds, or about 40 apple cores, to receive a fatal dose. However, it is better to avoid chewing apple seeds to eliminate any adverse reactions as well. Chewing a few is completely harmless.

Apart from apple seeds, cyanide can be found in the seeds of apricots, cherries and peaches.

According to Medical News Today, “Apple flesh and peel are very healthful and pose no risks. Yet chewed or crushed apple seeds release small amounts of cyanide, which is highly toxic. Someone would probably need to thoroughly chew and swallow at least 85 seeds before they experience any adverse effects. If a person accidentally eats a few apple seeds, there is no need to worry.”

Hence, we found that consuming some apple seeds by mistake does not pose any danger. A person has to take over 85 seeds to suffer adverse effects of the toxicity due to cyanide in the apple seeds and chew over 200 seeds for it to become fatal.