Attention Danger of poisoning When zucchini taste remarkably bitter

Zucchini: Pay attention to bitter taste!

A light summer vegetable with low calories is zucchini. Many grow their tasty vegetables in their home garden. But then sometimes threatens danger to life, if zucchini and pumpkin are grown themselves. In this article, we show you to pay attention.

The Mediterranean vegetables with the mild nut aroma did not prevail until the 1970s in German kitchens. Meanwhile, the zucchini is so popular that every household consumes an average of one kilogram a year. Since it has no distinctive taste, it can be perfectly combined with other vegetables such as eggplant, tomato and pepper. But it already came to death after eating! Therefore, consumers should pay particular attention to a "bitter taste".

"If the fruit tastes unusually bitter, it must not be eaten," warns the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. Depending on the variety and the growth conditions, the plant forms bitter substances which in higher concentrations may affect health. The rare cases of intoxication in recent years were mostly caused by replanted zucchini from their own garden. Responsible for this is the substance cucurbitacin.

Cucurbitacin is made from cucurbits such as zucchini, cucumbers or melons to protect its fruits. The ability to form these substances was actually bred out of the crops. However, the plant stands e.g. Due to prolonged heat under stress, it may be that the substances are reactivated. Likewise, the poison may arise when seed with backcrosses containing the bitter substances is used. In 2015, there had been a death from poisonous zucchini from the garden. At that time, a 79-year-old retiree from Baden-Württemberg had died.

Zucchini tastes raw, grilled and cooked

Zucchini tastes raw in the salad, cooked, roasted and grilled. The fruits are also ideal for light cooking, as they contain very little fat and just 20 kilocalories per 100 g due to their high water content. They are rich in potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins A and C. A special delicacy is the yellow zucchini flowers, which are good for frying and filling.

Zucchini originally came from Central America and only arrived in Europe with immigrants in the 17th century. The name derives from the Italian word for pumpkin "zucca". Because the zucchini belongs to the cucurbits and is botanically a berry. It does not have to be green and cucumber-shaped. The zucchini are available in many variations - in black, yellow and light green, also cylindrical, mackerel and white spots. Zucchini can become as huge as a pumpkin. With increasing size but the aroma is lost. Therefore, they are harvested half-ripe with a length of 10 to 40 cm, when the shell is still tender and soft.

When shopping, small fruits with a smooth skin that does not yield when pressed are the best choice. In the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, the courgettes last up to two weeks. Before preparation, the vegetables must not be peeled or gutted. Simply wash under running water and remove stems and flowers.

Expert Tip: Follow your own taste

Protection against poisoning offers a simple taste test before preparing the vegetables. If it tastes bitter, it should be spat out immediately and the affected vegetables are not used, informs the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). However, a prerequisite for this is a functioning sense of taste. People who are restricted here should ask for help from other people. (Sb)