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Right.  If you eat a lot at once, it will kill you.  But if you eat a 
little at a time, and are otherwise healthy and well fed, you can 
metabolize it.  (Like alcohol, I suppose, but more toxic.)   I think I 
once read an article about how cyanide can be a cumulative toxin in 
people who are protein-deprived, but that's probably not a problem for 
most NAFEXers.

Lots of other animals and beasties can metabolize small quantities, too 
- I wonder if fermentation reduces the cyanide levels?  I know that 
cooking in an open container does.

Ginda

On Feb 26, 2004, at 1:11 PM, Bill Russell wrote:

> Right. Cyanide is not a cumulative toxin.
>
> Bill
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Lucky Pittman" <lucky.pittman@murraystate.edu>
> To: "longdistshtr" <longdistshtr@shtc.net>; "North American Fruit 
> Explorers"
> <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 6:36 AM
> Subject: [NAFEX] Choke Cherries, cyanide, etc.
>
>
> > At 10:25 PM 2/25/2004 -0500, Doc L wrote:
> > > They are pest trees here, kinda like Sweet Gums which Lucky Pittman
> abhors.
> > Indeed, I do.  Would much prefer hawthorns, which I could use as
> rootstocks
> > for pears & quinces.
> >
> > I'm neither a chemist nor a toxicologist, but deal with the cyanide 
> > issue
> > in livestock on a regular basis.  Cherry leaves are most toxic in the
> > wilted state - I've seen cows eat them fresh and green off the tree, 
> > and
> > they'll vaccuum up the yellow senescent leaves that drop off from 
> > time to
> > time throughout the season - with no ill effects.  It may be that the
> fresh
> > green leaves are toxic as well as the wilted ones, but that the 
> > animals
> > aren't usually able to access them in the large amounts that 
> > precipitate
> > death like when people inadvisedly pitch big piles of prunings over 
> > the
> > fence to them or a storm comes through and blows trees over or splits 
> > big
> > limbs off - at which time the cows/goats/sheep mob around 'em and 
> > race to
> > see who can eat the most leaves.  Japanese yew prunings do a very
> efficient
> > job of killing cattle, as well, due to their high cyanogenic 
> > potential.
> >
> > Prunus spp. leaves contain cyanogenic glucosides and enzymes which 
> > alter
> > those glucosides, but in normal, undamaged leaves, they're contained 
> > in
> > separate cells.  When the leaves are damaged - freezing, wilting, 
> > chewing,
> > etc, this allows the chemical reaction to take place between the 
> > enzymes
> > and the cyanogenic glucosides, liberating cyanide, which can then be 
> > taken
> > up into the bloodstream, where it binds to hemoglobin in the 
> > erythrocytes,
> > interfering with its capability to carry oxygen.
> >
> > On the subject of cyanide in the seeds or a cherry leaf in my jam or 
> > wine,
> > personally, I wouldn't have too much concern about it - wouldn't even 
> > be
> > concerned with crushing seeds in the process of making jelly or
> > wine.  HCN(hydrogen cyanide) is volatile, and any that might be 
> > liberated
> > would probably dissipate harmlessly into the atmosphere during the 
> > course
> > of canning, fermentation, or storage, for that matter.
> > I wouldn't want to sit down and eat a big bowl of cracked chokecherry
> pits,
> > though.
> >
> > For more info on prussic acid poisoning, have a look at the following
> > extension bulletin:
> > http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/range/g775.htm#what
> >
> >
> >
> > Lucky Pittman
> > USDA Zone 6
> > Hopkinsville, KY
> >
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