Bangkok:Warnings circulating on social media suggesting that consuming bitter-tasting cucumbers can lead to liver failure have been proven false.
According to Thai News Agency, these claims have been discredited following verification by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jutiporn Tassakulapanich, a lecturer in the Department of Horticulture at Kasetsart University. Dr. Tassakulapanich confirmed that cucumbers, both domestically and internationally, are safe for consumption, and the widespread warning lacks scientific basis.
The bitterness in some cucumbers is attributed to cucurbitacin, a naturally occurring compound. Although cucumbers have been bred to contain low levels of this compound, environmental factors such as excessive heat or inconsistent watering can enhance its presence. However, the concentration of cucurbitacin in cucumbers is typically not high enough to pose a toxicity risk to humans.
To reach potentially toxic levels, one would need to consume approximately 350 grams of bitter cucumbers, equivalent to about three large cucumbers. Yet, the body's natural reflex to spit out extremely bitter food makes it unlikely for someone to ingest such a quantity.
Additionally, claims that the bitter compound in cucumbers is six times more toxic than arsenic have been refuted. While cucurbitacins in cucumbers and bitter gourds are resistant to heat, the comparison to arsenic is deemed unfair as cucumbers are consumed in significantly smaller quantities than pure arsenic.
The recommendation for dealing with occasional bitterness is to trim about 1 centimeter from the cucumber's stem, where cucurbitacin concentration is higher, thus reducing potential bitterness.