Apple seeds contain amygdalin, a compound that releases cyanide when crushed and metabolized in the human body. Cyanide is highly toxic and can be lethal in sufficient doses. However, the seeds must be crushed or chewed to release the cyanide; whole seeds typically pass through the digestive system without harm
. The lethal dose of cyanide for humans is approximately 50–300 milligrams. Each apple seed can release about 0.01 mg of cyanide when metabolized. Given that an average apple contains 5 to 10 seeds, a person would need to consume around 150 to 200 crushed apple seeds (equivalent to seeds from about 15 to 20 apples) in one sitting to reach a dangerous or potentially lethal dose
. In summary:
- Apple seeds contain amygdalin, which can release cyanide if crushed.
- The body can detoxify small amounts of cyanide, so accidental ingestion of a few seeds is generally harmless.
- To reach a lethal dose, one would need to chew and consume roughly 150–200 apple seeds.
- This corresponds to eating the seeds from about 15–20 apples at once, which is highly unlikely in normal circumstances
Therefore, while apple seeds do contain a toxic compound, the number required to kill a human is very large and practically difficult to ingest accidentally.
