Food safety agency warns horse chestnut fruit is mistaken for edible chestnuts
In short
South Korean health authorities and food safety experts are warning that horse chestnut fruit, which looks like edible chestnuts, should not be eaten because it contains toxic substances including aesculin. A social media user reported picking chestnut-like fruit from the street before finding out it was horse chestnut. Eating it can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and dizziness, and in severe cases difficulty breathing, according to the reports.
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South Korean food safety authorities and experts are warning that horse chestnut fruit, which closely resembles edible chestnuts, should not be eaten. The Food and Drug Safety Ministry has said horse chestnut fruit is not recognised as a food ingredient, according to Seoul Economic Daily, and Asia Economy reported that the ministry issued a warning through its official channels last year that brown fruit mistaken for chestnuts might in fact be toxic horse chestnut. [ 1 , 3 ]
The fruit contains toxic substances including aesculin. The reports said eating it can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and dizziness, and in severe cases difficulty breathing. Horse chestnuts are commonly planted as street or landscape trees, so their fruit often falls in city parks and along walking paths, and both the outside and the inside of the fruit resemble an edible chestnut. [ 1 , 3 ]
The warning followed posts shared on social media. One user posted a photo comparing chestnuts with horse chestnut fruit and wrote “밤 줍다가 병원 갈 수도 있다”, or that picking chestnuts could send a person to hospital, according to both Asia Economy and Seoul Economic Daily. The writer said they had wanted raw chestnuts for a braised short-rib dish, saw many chestnut-like fruit fallen by the roadside and picked them up, then found out from the photo that they were horse chestnut fruit. [ 1 , 3 ]
The two outlets listed ways to tell the fruit apart. An edible chestnut has a pointed protrusion at its tip, while horse chestnut fruit is generally round without a clear tip. Their husks also differ: the chestnut burr is covered densely with long, thin spines, while the husk around horse chestnut fruit has relatively short, thick spines set sparsely. [ 1 , 3 ]
The reports said similar mix-ups have been recorded abroad. A study analysing data from French poison control centres found that confusion between edible chestnuts and horse chestnut fruit accounted for 11% of recorded cases of mixing up edible and toxic plants between 2012 and 2018. [ 1 , 3 ]
Experts and health authorities quoted in the reports said the safest course is not to eat wild fruit whose origin and type cannot be clearly established. Korea Economic Daily carried the story under a headline asking what the fruit picked as a chestnut actually is, without article text on the topic in its feed. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The warning lands in autumn, when horse chestnuts commonly planted as street and landscape trees drop fruit in parks and along walking paths where edible chestnuts are also gathered. The reports cite the food safety regulator's position that the fruit is not approved as a food ingredient, and note that similar mix-ups have been recorded abroad.
Key facts
- The Food and Drug Safety Ministry has said horse chestnut fruit is not recognised as a food ingredient and should not be eaten. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Horse chestnut fruit contains toxic substances including aesculin; eating it can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and dizziness, and in severe cases difficulty breathing. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Horse chestnuts are commonly planted as street and landscape trees, so their fruit drops in city parks and on walking paths. [ 1 , 3 ]
- A social media user reported picking chestnut-like fruit by the road and only later learning it was horse chestnut. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Edible chestnuts have a pointed tip, while horse chestnut fruit is generally round without a clear tip, and their husks have different spines. [ 1 , 3 ]
- A study analysing French poison control centre data found that confusion between edible chestnuts and horse chestnut fruit accounted for 11% of recorded cases of mixing up edible and toxic plants between 2012 and 2018. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Experts and health authorities said the safest course is not to eat wild fruit whose origin and type are not clearly known. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Food and Drug Safety Ministry has said horse chestnut fruit cannot be used as a food ingredient, and it warned through its official channels last year that brown fruit mistaken for chestnuts may in fact be toxic horse chestnut. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Horse chestnut fruit contains toxic substances including aesculin, and eating it can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and dizziness, and in severe cases difficulty breathing. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Horse chestnuts are commonly planted as street or landscape trees, and their fruit falls in city parks and along walking paths. [ 1 , 3 ]
- A social media user reported picking chestnut-like fruit from the street and later confirming it was horse chestnut, warning that picking the wrong fruit could send someone to hospital. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Experts and health authorities said the safest approach is not to eat wild fruit whose origin and type cannot be confirmed. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether anyone in South Korea has actually been poisoned by eating horse chestnut fruit. The documents describe a near-miss posted on social media and a general warning, and report no confirmed poisoning case in the country.
- How often horse chestnut mix-ups occur in South Korea. The only figures in the documents come from a study of French poison control centre data for 2012 to 2018; no Korean statistics are given.
- Where the reported near-miss took place. The documents do not name a city, park or street.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Asia Economy publishes its report warning that horse chestnut fruit is being mistaken for edible chestnuts. [ 1 ]
- Korea Economic Daily carries the story under a headline asking what the fruit picked as a chestnut actually is. [ 2 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily publishes its report citing the Food and Drug Safety Ministry, symptom details and identification tips. [ 3 ]