John Myers
I have collected sloes and want to make the liqueur Sloe Fire. The whole sloes are macerated in alcohol for 8 weeks. My question: What about the hydrocyanic acid in the core? Is she poisonous? I have 600 g sloes and 1 bottle of brandy, as well as spices.
The seeds of the sloe contain the hydrocyanic acid glycoside amygdalin, which is converted to hydrocyanic acid in the body.
It provides the typical bitter almond aroma in the subsequent sloe fire.
The amount of amygdalin in the core of the sloe can be classified as rather low overall. In addition, not all of the seeds go into the alcohol.
You need therefore have no qualms about poisoning yourself with prussic acid; especially since the liqueur is only drunk in small quantities.
Hydrocyanic acid glycosides are also found in the seeds of many other fruits from the rose family, such as apple, cherry or medlar seeds.
With a few exceptions, however, the amounts of these cyanogenic glycosides are so small that they are harmless for adults. Our organism has efficient mechanisms to effectively and quickly detoxify the small amounts of hydrocyanic acid released from it.
Bitter almonds and apricot kernels have a higher content of amygdalin. You should be especially careful with children, because five to six raw bitter almonds can be deadly for them!
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