Toxic squash syndrome • Hacker News Board

Re: Toxic squash syndrome

#11

Post by ars » Sun, Jul 10, 2022, 6:58 AM UTC

el_benhameen wrote: post #4

I once had a nasty case of food poisoning from a zucchini salad that I made. I always assumed it was from not washing them properly or undercooking them, but maybe this was it! In any case, my wife still hates zucchini even though it’s been many years since that incident.

I always taste zucchini before using them in a dish. You can eat them raw, so just taste a piece and if it's bitter don't use it.

These toxins are quite bitter tasting, so you'll detect that as well as old zucchini that just don't taste good.

Re: Toxic squash syndrome

#12

Post by lqet » Sun, Jul 10, 2022, 7:10 AM UTC

el_benhameen wrote: post #4

I once had a nasty case of food poisoning from a zucchini salad that I made. I always assumed it was from not washing them properly or undercooking them, but maybe this was it! In any case, my wife still hates zucchini even though it’s been many years since that incident.

I remember reading about a case where an elderly couple ate zucchini from their own garden. The dish tasted terribly bitter, but they ate it anyhow. The husband died 2 weeks later of cucurbitacin poisoning.

edit, although only in German: https://www.spiegel.de/gesundheit/ernaehrung/heidenheim-mann...

Re: Toxic squash syndrome

#13

Post by barbarbar » Sun, Jul 10, 2022, 7:24 AM UTC

yjftsjthsd-h wrote: post #8

GeorgeRichard wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your wife loves you very much and/or your nasty food poisoning had very nasty external effects.

> Your wife loves you very much That's generally the idea of marriage.

Love / Marriage exists and many forms. For example sometimes a very old average looking arrogant but rich man is married to a young beautiful girl. Though the other way around is more rare.

Re: Toxic squash syndrome

#14

Post by scarygliders » Sun, Jul 10, 2022, 8:43 AM UTC

From a very young age I rejected eating cucumber. It never "tasted right" to me, and it always makes me have horrible cucumber-flavoured burps. Blech!

I can't abide grapefruit or melon either, though I don't know if those are included in the list of potentially toxin-producing plants in the article.

Also, never been that keen on pumpkin.

Basically any kind of food of the above ilk.

Especially though with the cucumber - perhaps now I have an explanation for that innate dislike or reluctance to consume them?

Re: Toxic squash syndrome

#15

Post by argiope » Sun, Jul 10, 2022, 9:10 AM UTC

This reminds me of the story about a mysterious outbreak in Mozambique https://www.damninteresting.com/the-curse-of-konzo/, which without giving too much away bears some similarity. It's a pretty good read for a Sunday.

Re: Toxic squash syndrome

#16

Post by [deleted] » Sun, Jul 10, 2022, 9:26 AM UTC

scarygliders wrote: post #14

From a very young age I rejected eating cucumber. It never "tasted right" to me, and it always makes me have horrible cucumber-flavoured burps. Blech! I can't abide grapefruit or melon either, though I don't know if those are included in the list of potentially toxin-producing plants in the article. Also, never been that keen on pumpkin. Basically any kind of food of the above ilk. Especially though with the cucumber…

[deleted]

Re: Toxic squash syndrome

#17

Post by throwawayarnty » Sun, Jul 10, 2022, 9:32 AM UTC

When cooking zucchini it is worth chopping a slice in the middle and tasting it. If it’s bitter just throw it out.

The worst is you cut 5 zucchini’s , and one bitter zucchini ruins your entire dish.

Re: Toxic squash syndrome

#18

Post by clmay » Sun, Jul 10, 2022, 9:54 AM UTC

olliej wrote: post #10

I have a friend who is mercifully* mildly allergic to the entire ragweed* family so I guess this means that there is an up side to it :D * It's not a common allergy and the fruit and vegetables in encompasses are often used lightly in all sorts of foods without being explicitly listed. She once even got a cocktail with something (possibly cucumber?) * All squash, pumpkins, melons, cucumbers, zucchini, etc

I don't understand, why are you calling this the ragweed family? Ragweed is an asterid and has basically no meaningful botanical relationship to any of the plants you listed (outside of all being dicots), which are all cucurbits.

Re: Toxic squash syndrome

#19

Post by jfk13 » Sun, Jul 10, 2022, 10:14 AM UTC

lqet wrote: post #12

el_benhameen wrote: post #4

I once had a nasty case of food poisoning from a zucchini salad that I made. I always assumed it was from not washing them properly or undercooking them, but maybe this was it! In any case, my wife still hates zucchini even though it’s been many years since that incident.

I remember reading about a case where an elderly couple ate zucchini from their own garden. The dish tasted terribly bitter, but they ate it anyhow. The husband died 2 weeks later of cucurbitacin poisoning. edit, although only in German: https://www.spiegel.de/gesundheit/ernaehrung/heidenheim-mann...

Report in English: https://gardendrum.com/2015/08/25/german-man-dies-after-eati...

Re: Toxic squash syndrome

#20

Post by burntoutfire » Sun, Jul 10, 2022, 10:55 AM UTC

...and I thought this is somehow about squashing commits in a toxic way, e.g. rewriting the commit message to seem that you've done all the work yourself. Was surprised that it's already a syndrome though.