What are the symptoms and emergency treatment for cyanide poisoning from fruit pits?
Executive summary
Cyanide-producing compounds (amygdalin) are present in the kernels inside pits of cherries, apricots, peaches and similar fruits and can form hydrogen cyanide if crushed, chewed or ground — intact pits usually pass harmlessly [1] [2]. Early symptoms range from headache, dizziness, nausea and rapid breathing to seizures, loss of consciousness and respiratory or cardiac arrest in severe cases; antidotes (hydroxocobalamin, sodium thiosulfate) and 100% oxygen are first-line medical treatments and must be given promptly [3] [4] [5].
1. How fruit pits produce cyanide — the biochemical short version
Many stone-fruit pits (cherry, apricot, peach, plum, some apple seeds) contain amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside. When the hard pit is crushed or chewed, or when seeds are ground into foods, enzymes in the gut or the fruit break amygdalin into hydrogen cyanide, which is the active toxin that prevents cells from using oxygen [1] [6]. Multiple reporting sources stress that intact, swallowed pits usually pass without releasing cyanide, while crushed kernels present the real risk [2] [7].
2. What symptoms to watch for after a suspected ingestion
Initial, common signs include headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and rapid breathing or a fast heart rate; if exposure is larger, symptoms worsen to confusion, seizures, slow heart rate, low blood pressure, loss of consciousness, respiratory failure and cardiac arrest [3] [8] [9]. Poison Control and public-health summaries add that small exposures may only cause mild stomach upset, but children and small people are more vulnerable and serious outcomes including coma and death have been reported after large ingestions of kernels [5] [10] [11].
3. Immediate steps to take at home — what to do and what not to do
If you suspect a child or adult has swallowed whole pits: remove any remaining pits from the mouth, wipe the mouth out, and give small sips of water for dilution; do not induce vomiting [12] [11]. If you suspect pits were crushed, chewed, or that many kernels were eaten, contact your local Poison Control Center (1‑800‑222‑1222 in the U.S.) or emergency services immediately — guidance and treatment depend on amount and symptoms [1] [12].
4. When to call 911 and what professionals will do
Call 911 immediately for severe signs — collapse, trouble breathing, seizures, or loss of consciousness — and seek emergency care for any rapidly worsening symptoms [13] [3]. In hospital, clinicians give supportive care including 100% oxygen and may administer specific antidotes such as hydroxocobalamin (vitamin B12a) and sometimes sodium thiosulfate; antidotes are time-sensitive and most useful when given early [3] [4].
5. How much is dangerous — and why numbers vary
Toxic thresholds reported in public sources vary because amygdalin content differs by fruit variety and kernel size. Some authorities say a few whole pits are unlikely to harm adults, while others caution that chewing or grinding as few as several kernels (especially apricot kernels) may exceed safe levels for small children; regulatory and poison-center guidance therefore emphasizes caution and case-by-case assessment [1] [14] [7]. Available reporting notes the European Food Safety Authority flagged risk from apricot kernels and that small children are at elevated risk [14] [7].
6. Conflicting or exaggerated claims you’ll see in popular media
Popular pieces sometimes compute a single “lethal seed” figure that ignores variation in amygdalin content and human tolerance; other sources stress that intact-swallowed pits are usually harmless but crushed kernels are dangerous, which is the consistent medical message [15] [2]. Sources warn against laetrile/amygdalin products marketed as cancer cures — they lack evidence and have caused severe cyanide toxicity when taken as tablets [1] [5].
7. Practical prevention and risk management
Avoid blending whole fruits with pits into smoothies; remove pits before cooking or macerating. Teach children not to chew or eat pits and keep apricot kernels and similar products out of reach — poison centers recommend calling them for exposure advice because treatment decisions hinge on amount, preparation (crushed vs intact), age and symptoms [16] [12] [11].
Limitations: available sources in this packet do not provide a single, universally accepted milligram dose-toxicity table for each fruit variety, and clinical decisions depend on local protocols and the treating clinicians’ judgment (not found in current reporting).