All types of elderberry are more or less poisonous. In this regard, a red elderberry is no exception. Nevertheless, its fruits may be edible under certain circumstances. Find out more about the toxic content here.
Is red elderberry poisonous and how to use it safely?
Red elderberry is poisonous, but its berries can be eaten if properly processed. To ensure safe use in jellies or syrups, remove the seeds before preparation and boil the fruit briefly without crushing it.
Cooking and good does not apply to red elderberry
Elderberries are he althy and delicious. For generations, housewives have been using it to conjure up delicious jam, delicious jelly and refreshing syrup. However, the fruits must not be eaten raw. The glycoside sambunigrin it contains only decomposes at a temperature of 76.3 degrees Celsius and higher.
This premise, however, only applies to a limited extent to the berries of red elderberry. The poisonous content of their seeds does not dissolve even after prolonged boiling. They must therefore be stoned before preparation so that their consumption does not have fatal consequences for he alth. Since this method is very labor-intensive, you can get around the problem in this way:
- strip the ripe, red berries from the umbel with a fork
- bring to the boil briefly in a pot without crushing the fruit
- then juice and process with sugar to make jelly or syrup
