|
|
|
Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10102
|
| Cherrypits, apricotpits and applepits -> hydrogen cyanide |
 |
|
Cyanide is usually found joined with other chemicals to form compounds. Examples of simple cyanide compounds are hydrogen cyanide, sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide. Certain bacteria, fungi, and algae can produce cyanide, and cyanide is found in a number of foods and plants. In certain plant foods, including almonds, millet sprouts, lima beans, soy, spinach, bamboo shoots, and cassava roots (which are a major source of food in tropical countries), cyanides occur naturally as part of sugars or other naturally-occurring compounds. However, the edible parts of plants that are eaten in the United States, including tapioca which is made from cassava roots, contain relatively low amounts of cyanide.
Fruits that have a pit, such as cherries and apricots, bitter almonds and apples, from which almond oil and flavoring are made, contain small amounts of cyanohydrins such as mandelonitrile (CAS#532-28-5). Such molecules slowly release hydrogen cyanide. |
Tuesday February 27, 2007 1:07 am |
|
|
shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
 we learned about cherry pits and hydrogen cyanide in Chemistry class   but I have to admit, I still sometimes swallow the pit accidentally... and then I get a stomach ache  |
|
Tuesday February 27, 2007 4:22 am |
|
|
|
|
Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10102
|
Yikes, you do?! Stop doing that Shirin! They're not good for you!
Do you like cherries? |
|
Wednesday February 28, 2007 7:28 pm |
|
|
shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
yep, I love cherries  especially sour cherries! |
|
Thursday March 1, 2007 1:07 am |
|
|
Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10102
|
Sour cherries? I don't understand? I only know of one kind of cherry. Plus the cherry (very sweet) they put on top of a cake. |
|
Thursday March 1, 2007 1:08 am |
|
|
|
|
shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
omg you've never had sour cherrieeeess???? They're sooooo good!! They're smaller than sweet cherries, and a brighter red. And they're sour I think here in Canada, and I guess probably where you live too, they don't really sell them at grocery stores, because I've never seen them. I think they use it more for making jams. But in Iran it was as popular as sweet cherries  Here, in the summers I go to a cherry farm and pick them myself! They're delicious!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wi.....y_3426.JPG |
|
Thursday March 1, 2007 1:13 am |
|
|
Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10102
|
I think these are the cherries found on top of cakes. They're put into sugar and I think that's why they're not sour anymore. 
I don't like them with sugar but I'll look for them unsugared. |
|
Thursday March 1, 2007 1:23 am |
|
|
Ag_86
Bappie
Joined: 14 Feb 2006
Posts: 77
Location: Mississauga, ON |
I've swallowed cherry pits, by accident, but they've never made me feel sick. It's good to know I should try to be more careful. In Poland they have sour cherries and sweet cherries, but if you heard the names you wouldn't know they're describing the same fruit. I can't wait until summer to pick my own berries and fruits. Mmmmmmm! |
|
Saturday March 24, 2007 11:21 pm |
|
|
|
|
Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7972
Location: Australia |
you know, I was watching a flock of black cockatoos feeding before, and you'd think that they should know what's good and what's not good for them right, considering it's survival of the fittest in the wild..
Anyway, this flock of cockatoos were eating peaches pits.I would have thought that they'd know better!! |
|
Sunday March 25, 2007 5:28 pm |
|
|
shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
It could have been that this was the first time they were trying them. Once they try them and if it makes them sick, usually they won't touch it anymore. |
|
Sunday March 25, 2007 5:34 pm |
|
|
Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7972
Location: Australia |
This is the same flock that have been visiting back and forth for a couple of months before moving on to the next bit of food source.. |
|
Sunday March 25, 2007 5:38 pm |
|
|
|
|
shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
And you always see them eating the peach pits? Maybe it doesn't make them feel sick? I don't know, or maybe they're not the smartest |
|
Sunday March 25, 2007 6:10 pm |
|
|
cheekie_birdy
Experienced flier
Joined: 08 Jul 2006
Posts: 1719
Location: Canada |
oh I don't think they're dumb |
|
Sunday March 25, 2007 7:23 pm |
|
|
|
|
All times are GMT. The time now is Saturday May 26, 2012 2:44 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
