Tokyo Food Safety Information Center » Good things to know »  Poisonous plants easily mistaken for harmless ones » Green plum (Rosaceae)

Green plum (Rosaceae)

Fruits are usually processed and then used. However, there are poisonous substances in the unripe fruit and in the middle of the seed. For production of plum liqueur and pickled plums the raw plums are close at hand, therefore it is necessary to pay sufficient attention so that they are not eaten by children.


Characteristics

Symptoms Headache, dizziness, sweating, spasms, breathing difficulties, etc.
Venomous constituents Cyanogenetic glycoside amygdalin. When disintegrated by enzyme it releases hydrocyanic acid and causes poisoning. Amygdalin is also present in plum, loquat and apricot seed.

Green plum
Green plum

 

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