# Dangerous quince?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangerous-quince/621097
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 6, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangerous-quince/621097 "2012-05-06T20:42:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangerous-quince/621097/1 "2012-05-06T20:42:14Z")
My local Mexican market has started carrying quince paste. I am overjoyed! It is absolutely delicious, and very reasonably priced.
But I noticed that in a corner of the label, in little teeny letters, it says
“Warning: this product contains quince.” (with quotes.)
Well, yeah. That’s pretty much _all_ it contains, except sugar and a little citric acid.
But, why the warning?
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### Author:  [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangerous-quince/621097/2 "2012-05-06T21:37:15Z")
Maybe because the fruit often isn’t very edible raw?
Has anyone here ever tried to eat quince that wasn’t processed in some way? How did you fare?
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### Author:  [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangerous-quince/621097/3 "2012-05-06T21:40:07Z")
The seeds
“The seeds contain nitriles (RCN), which are common in seeds of the rose family. In the stomach, enzymes or stomach acid or both cause some of the nitriles to be hydrolyzed and produce HCN (hydrogen cyanide), which is a volatile gas. The seeds are only likely to be toxic if a large quantity is eaten”
> **[Quince](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quince#Toxicology)**
>
> C. vulgaris
> The quince (/ˈkwɪns/; Cydonia oblonga) is the sole member of the genus Cydonia in the Malinae subtribe (which also contains apples and pears, among other fruits) of the Rosaceae family. It is a deciduous tree that bears hard, aromatic bright golden-yellow pome fruit, similar in appearance to a pear. Ripe quince fruits are hard, tart, and astringent. They are seldom eaten raw, but are processed into marmalade, jam, paste (known as quince cheese) or alcoholic beverages.
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### Author:  [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangerous-quince/621097/4 "2012-05-06T21:44:41Z")
I gathered from Wikipedia that raw quince is similar to unripe persimmon.
Wikipedia had this to say about quince toxicology:
“The seeds contain nitriles (RCN), which are common in seeds of the rose family. In the stomach, enzymes or stomach acid or both cause some of the nitriles to be hydrolyzed and produce HCN (hydrogen cyanide), which is a volatile gas. The seeds are only likely to be toxic if a large quantity is eaten.”
Interesting, because another part of the same article says:
“In Iran, quince, called beh (ﺑﻪ), is used raw or in stews and jam, and the seeds are used as a remedy for pneumonia and lung disease. In parts of Afghanistan, the quince seeds are collected and boiled and then ingested to combat pneumonia.”
Conclusion: Do NOT complain of pneumonia in Iran or Afghanistan.
~VOW
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangerous-quince/621097/5 "2012-05-06T22:49:57Z")
The same substances are found in apple seeds, yet nobody feels obliged to warn about a product containing apples.
My guess is that it’s about allergens, though I don’t know how common quince allergies are.
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### Author:  [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2012, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangerous-quince/621097/6 "2012-05-06T23:50:29Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#):
>
> Maybe because the fruit often isn’t very edible raw?
>
> Has anyone here ever tried to eat quince that wasn’t processed in some way? How did you fare?
Yes. Me! Badly.
Smelled wonderful - tasted \*very \*astringent. Once we knew what we were dealing with (and I had finished trying to spit out my tongue), we gathered up as much ripe fruit as we could and feasted on Quince jelly for months.
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### Author:  [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2012, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dangerous-quince/621097/7 "2012-05-07T10:14:34Z")
Well, the thing about quince is, you have to eat it with a runcible spoon. (Ha ha, right out of the tub, never mind the toast!)