Health Warning Organic Bitter apricot kernels have excessive cyanogenic acidity

Organic bakery warns against the consumption of bitter apricot kernels

The organic bakery Spiegelhauer from the Saxon Pirna warns against the consumption of the product "Organic Bitter Apricot Kernels". In the cores, an excess of hydrocyanic acid was detected. Hydrocyanic acid "can cause poisoning and lead to death," the company writes.

Highly toxic to humans

The organic bakery Spiegelhauer based in Pirna (Saxony) warns against the consumption of "Organic Bitter Apricot Kernels". "In the naturally wild-growing BIO bitter apricot kernels an excessive hydrogen cyanide value was determined," writes the bakery in a customer information. Affected is the item with the best before date 31.01.2020, Art. No. 738, content: 1kg. "Hydrocyanic acid is released from amygdalin, which is naturally present in bitter apricot kernels, and is highly toxic to humans," says the company.

In apricot kernels of the organic bakery Spiegelhauer an excessive value of hydrogen cyanide has been detected. Hydrocyanic acid is highly toxic to humans and can lead to death. (Image: M. Schuppich / fotolia.com)

Product should be disposed of

Hydrocyanic acid (hydrogen cyanide) "can cause poisoning and lead to death," warns the bakery.

Symptoms that may appear include severe headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, palpitations, and suffocation.

The company therefore advises to dispose of leftovers of the affected product.

Cores for cancer therapy

Some people use apricot kernels to prevent the spread of cancer.

But scientists from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have warned in a communication against such dangerous cancer therapies.

The Apothekerkammer Westfalen has also pointed to the health risks of eating the kernels. The portal "cleankids.de" quotes from a statement:

"In various media they were recommended as alternative medicine against cancer - scientifically, this is not certain. According to the current state of knowledge, apricot kernels are classified as hazardous foods and not as medically effective medicines. "(Ad)