Fruit Pits

1. Wipe or rinse out the mouth.
2. Give a serving size of water to drink.
3. Call 1-800-222-1222 for additional instructions.

Quick Facts about fruit pits:

Fresh cherries, peaches, and other stone fruits are delicious, as long as you stay away from the pit! The seeds of stone fruits — including cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and mangoes — naturally contain cyanide compounds, which are poisonous.

If you accidentally swallow a fruit pit, it probably won’t cause any harm. However, you should not crush or chew the seeds. Children should be taught to spit fruit pits and seeds out. If you or a child swallows a significant amount, it is important to call for help.

If you notice that your child has swallowed a fruit pit, it is important not to panic. Take any remaining pits away from the child and wipe their mouth out with a soft wet cloth. You may give them some water to drink. Do not try to induce vomiting.

After you have removed your child from the situation, immediately call the Missouri Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.  Treatment recommendations are often determined by the amount ingested. The poison center is open all day, every day for poisoning emergencies and questions and our team of medical professionals will help to walk you through the next steps.