Seed allergy

While some seeds are edible, others are harmful, poisonous or deadly.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed#cite_note-35" >[36]</a> Plants and seeds often contain <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_compounds" title="Chemical compounds" class="mw-redirect" >chemical compounds</a> to discourage <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbivores" title="Herbivores" class="mw-redirect" >herbivores</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed_predation" title="Seed predation" >seed predators</a>. In some cases, these compounds simply taste bad (such as in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustard_(condiment)" title="Mustard (condiment)" >mustard</a>), but other compounds are toxic or break down into toxic compounds within the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digestive_system" title="Digestive system" class="mw-redirect" >digestive system</a>. Children, being smaller than adults, are more susceptible to poisoning by plants and seeds.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed#cite_note-36" >[37]</a>

A deadly poison, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricin" title="Ricin" >ricin</a>, comes from seeds of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castor_bean" title="Castor bean" class="mw-redirect" >castor bean</a>. Reported lethal doses are anywhere from two to eight seeds,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed#cite_note-37" >[38]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed#cite_note-38" >[39]</a>though only a few deaths have been reported when castor beans have been ingested by animals.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed#cite_note-39" >[40]</a>

In addition, seeds containing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amygdalin" title="Amygdalin" >amygdalin</a>—<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple" title="Apple" >apple</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apricot" title="Apricot" >apricot</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_almond" title="Bitter almond" class="mw-redirect" >bitter almond</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed#cite_note-almond-40" >[41]</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peach" title="Peach" >peach</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum" title="Plum" >plum</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry" title="Cherry" >cherry</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quince" title="Quince" >quince</a>, and others—when consumed in sufficient amounts, may cause <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanide_poisoning" title="Cyanide poisoning" >cyanide poisoning</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed#cite_note-almond-40" >[41]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed#cite_note-41" >[42]</a> Other seeds that contain poisons include <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annona" title="Annona" >annona</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton" title="Cotton" >cotton</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custard_apple" title="Custard apple" >custard apple</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datura" title="Datura" >datura</a>, uncooked <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durian" title="Durian" >durian</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_chain" title="Golden chain" class="mw-redirect" >golden chain</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse-chestnut_(tree)" title="Horse-chestnut (tree)" class="mw-redirect" >horse-chestnut</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphinium" title="Delphinium" >larkspur</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locoweed" title="Locoweed" >locoweed</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lychee" title="Lychee" >lychee</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nectarine" title="Nectarine" class="mw-redirect" >nectarine</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambutan" title="Rambutan" >rambutan</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosary_pea" title="Rosary pea" class="mw-redirect" >rosary pea</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sour_sop" title="Sour sop" class="mw-redirect" >sour sop</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_apple" title="Sugar apple" class="mw-redirect" >sugar apple</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisteria" title="Wisteria" >wisteria</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxus" title="Taxus" >yew</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed#cite_note-42" >[43]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed#cite_note-43" >[44]</a> The seeds of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strychnine_tree" title="Strychnine tree" class="mw-redirect" >strychnine tree</a> are also poisonous, containing the poison <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strychnine" title="Strychnine" >strychnine</a>.

The seeds of many legumes, including the common bean (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phaseolus_vulgaris" title="Phaseolus vulgaris" >Phaseolus vulgaris</a>), contain proteins called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lectins" title="Lectins" class="mw-redirect" >lectins</a> which can cause gastric distress if the beans are eaten without <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking" title="Cooking" >cooking</a>. The common bean and many others, including the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soybean" title="Soybean" >soybean</a>, also contain <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypsin_inhibitors" title="Trypsin inhibitors" class="mw-redirect" >trypsin inhibitors</a> which interfere with the action of the digestive enzyme <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypsin" title="Trypsin" >trypsin</a>. Normal cooking processes degrade lectins and trypsin inhibitors to harmless forms.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed#cite_note-44" >[45]</a>

Please see the category <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Plant_toxins" title="Category:Plant toxins" >plant toxins</a> for further relevant articles.

Seed allergy

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