Eating a manchineel “beach apple” (2000)

Re:Eating a manchineel “beach apple” (2000) by ChuckMcM on Tuesday August 09, 2016 @05:29PM (#12257832)

Really? Am I so weird that I don't just pop random things I find on the ground into my mouth? The statement, "I rashly took a bite from this fruit and found it pleasantly sweet. My friend also partook (at my suggestion)." demonstrated at least two evolutionary negative traits; first eating random things when not starving, second not waiting to observe the effects of eating an unknown substance by someone silly enough to try it. That is right up there with trying to hold the brightly colored snake and big fuzzy spider.

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Re:Eating a manchineel “beach apple” (2000) by x0x0 on Tuesday August 09, 2016 @05:59PM (#12258015)

The boy scouts drive this into you as well.

There's a protocol for eating unknown plants if you are starving to death in the wilderness. Otherwise, don't.

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Re:Eating a manchineel “beach apple” (2000) by LeifCarrotson on Tuesday August 09, 2016 @07:07PM (#12258325)

The protocol: introduce it in tiny quantities, starting with "touch it to your arm", and wait for hours watching for a reaction. Then touch it to the outside of your lip - do not eat it - and wait. Etc.

Not "Bite it and see if it tastes good. Don't mind the burning sensation."

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Re:Eating a manchineel “beach apple” (2000) by vacri on Tuesday August 09, 2016 @05:58PM (#12258007)

The point of 'taste' is generally to find things safe to eat. It's not a 'random thing from the ground', but a fruiting body, which is almost universally safe to eat if it is sweet and not bitter.

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Re:Eating a manchineel “beach apple” (2000) by ChuckMcM on Tuesday August 09, 2016 @06:23PM (#12258137)

Except the fruit in this article was sweet, AND highly toxic. I really don't think there is any scientific basis for the claim "safe if it's sweet".

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Re:Eating a manchineel “beach apple” (2000) by ars on Tuesday August 09, 2016 @06:37PM (#12258196)

That's exactly why this tree is so notorious. It's actually very very rare to be both sweet and toxic.

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Re:Eating a manchineel “beach apple” (2000) by vacri on Tuesday August 09, 2016 @11:51PM (#12259401)

Things in the natural world that nourish an animal generally appeal to that animal. It's why you find rotten flesh and faeces repulsive, but flies flock to it (and they don't flock to their own shit).

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Re:Eating a manchineel “beach apple” (2000) by finid on Tuesday August 09, 2016 @06:46PM (#12258233)

> The point of 'taste' is generally to find things safe to eat.

Well, there were coconuts and mangoes around too, but our "medical" person chose to sample the only one he didn't know anything about.

Alaskans have this thing they say about Darwin and natural selection. I Just don't recall how they frame it

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Re:Eating a manchineel “beach apple” (2000) by maxerickson on Tuesday August 09, 2016 @07:30PM (#12258404)

Parts of the mango tree have urushiol in them. It's the same irritant that is in poison ivy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mango#Potential_for_contact_de...

Cavalier picking of mangoes could also lead to unpleasant consequences.

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Re:Eating a manchineel “beach apple” (2000) by finid on Tuesday August 09, 2016 @11:05PM (#12259251)

As noted in that article, you have to be a special case to be affected by parts of the mango tree. From my experience, you really have to be a special case.

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