European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

REVIEW ON APPLE : MOST POPULAR & DELICIOUS FRUITS AND APPLE SEEDS RELEASE CYANIDE WHEN CRUSHED

*Dr. Amit Kumar Dutta, Ph. D

ABSTRACT

Apples are one of the world's most popular fruits. They contain small, black seeds that are usually avoided because of their bitter taste, but people may occasionally eat them by accident or not bother to spit them out. Many people believe apple seeds are poisonous, while others may consider them a healthy snack. Apple seeds contain amygdaline, which is converted into cyanide when the seeds are chewed or crushed. Cyanide is highly poisonous and can be deadly in high doses. Small amounts of cyanide, ranging from 0.2-1.6 mg for every pound of body weight, cause acute poisoning and may even be deadly. Eating a few apple seeds is safe. Large quantities of ground or crushed seeds (over 100 grams) are potentially fatal. The benefits of apple seed oil come from the impressive mineral and protein content and include reducing the appearance of acne, reducing wrinkles, and moisturizing the skin. This oil also helps in preventing skin cancer, boosting skin elasticity, preventing sun damage, and stimulating the production of collagen to produce new, healthy skin cells. It should not be consumed orally but can be used for topical applications. This review based study also concluded that apple seed oil could be used as edible oil, with the oil cake being used to supplement animal feed. Apple Seeds are known to contain low concentrations of amygdalin, (lower than apricot or almond seeds) a compound that degrades into HCN or Hydrogen Cyanide when metabolized. Based on results from all of these studies, it appears that apples may play a significant role in reducing the risk of a wide variety of diseases."

Keywords: Apple Seeds, Amygdaline, HCN, Disease