# Tamarinds: Safe to eat or not? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 3, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tamarinds-safe-to-eat-or-not/333926 "2005-12-03T18:33:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tamarinds-safe-to-eat-or-not/333926/1 "2005-12-03T18:33:07Z")
I keep hearing about tamarinds and stuff with tamarind in it. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but someone told me once that tamarind is considered unfit for human consumption by the FDA. Is this true? And if so, why is it an ingredient in so many dishes? ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tamarinds-safe-to-eat-or-not/333926/2 "2005-12-03T19:10:17Z")
Some tamarind candy manufactured in Mexico has been associated with high lead contamination. This has nothing to do with the tamarind pod, pulp or seeds which is perfectly healthy to eat (and delicious) [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5131a3.htm](http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5131a3.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tamarinds-safe-to-eat-or-not/333926/3 "2005-12-03T19:16:07Z")
The tamarind itself is safe (and tasty); apparently the problem is with lead-contaminated tamarind products from Mexico. From the articles I can find online, it sounds like the lead isn’t in the fruit to begin with; it comes from the wrappers. I’ve eaten tamarind candy from the Phillipines, which is nothing but sweetened tamarind pulp, and I’m still alive. And no Indian dinner is complete without some of that lovely sweet tamarind sauce droozled over a poppadom or a samosa. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tamarinds-safe-to-eat-or-not/333926/4 "2005-12-03T20:25:29Z")
I thought you meant [these.](http://photosoc.wellington.net.nz/images/gallery/fullsize/be_tamarind.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tamarinds-safe-to-eat-or-not/333926/5 "2005-12-03T20:38:54Z")
Ha! Golden lion tamarins. Now that you mention it… I wonder how they taste… ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tamarinds-safe-to-eat-or-not/333926/6 "2005-12-03T20:40:16Z")
> [@Hello Again](#): > > Some tamarind candy manufactured in Mexico has been associated with high lead contamination. This has nothing to do with the tamarind pod, pulp or seeds which is perfectly healthy to eat (and delicious) > > [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5131a3.htm](http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5131a3.htm) Gotcha. That explains it. Now I’m not afraid to eat it anymore. Thanks! Tandoori chicken, here I come…