When zucchini tastes bitter...
Symptoms of poisoning by cucurbitacin
Caution should be exercised if zucchini vegetables, pumpkin soup or cucumbers taste bitter. They might contain cucurbitacin. This toxic ingredient can cause acute vomiting, diarrhea, and drooling during or immediately after eating. Zucchinis, pumpkins and cucumbers, but also melons and watermelons belong to the pumpkin family. The poisonous substance cucurbitacin has been bred from the edible forms of these pumpkin plants. In contrast, wild and ornamental gourds still contain these tetracyclic triterpenes. In individual cases, uncontrolled recrossing with the ornamental forms or reverse mutations can result in cucurbitacin also appearing in the cultivated forms. The toxins lead to a bitter taste and irritate the mucous membranes. Cucurbits should be tasted before preparation. If they taste bitter, then it is better not to use them. Doctors from the University Clinic and Polyclinic for Children and Young People in Leipzig point this out in the "Children's and Young People's Magazine".Source: Bonn [ Renate Kessen - aid ]
