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Old 26-09-2011, 03:02 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Dave Hill Dave Hill is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Feb 2007
Location: South Wales
Posts: 2,409
Default Deadly Sloes? Help!

On Sep 26, 11:13*am, Stewart Robert Hinsley
wrote:
In message
,
harry writes

On Sep 25, 4:07*pm, Kath wrote:
Ihave just read on the Plants for a Future site that sloes contain
hydrogen cyanide
(particularly the seeds).


We have made sloe liqueur for several years now but this year we
decided to try one bottle
where we put the sloes into a blender, instead of pricking them.


Will the resultant liqueur be poisonous?


Cyanide is also called bitter almond pison, guess why?
Many plants and seeds have poisonous parts to discourage eating.
Apple and pear seeds also contain cyanide.
Virtually every flower you grow in the garden is deadly.


The way I put it is that "to a first approximation 100% of plants are
poisonous". But deadly would be an exaggeration.

Haulms of potatoes, tomatoes and rhubarb are also deadly. (Oxalic
acid)


Potatoes and tomatoes have solanine and other alkaloids.



We have all developed some resistance to these poisons. It's all part
of nature's continuing chemical warfare.
You have chemical receptors that detect most poisons. Called taste.


Let us know if you die.


--
Stewart Robert Hinsley


I suspect you would smell it if it was strong enough to do you any
harm.
You can try it and either You or your Next of Kin could let us know
what happens.