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FoodSurprise 5/5Difficulty 3/5Reviewed on September 14, 2026

Cherry pits contain compounds that release cyanide.

Why it is true

Cherry, plum and apricot pits contain amygdalin, a compound that releases small amounts of cyanide when ingested and digested. A person would need to chew dozens of pits to suffer serious toxic effects.

Source: American Chemical Society

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