On Monday, Hong Kong health authorities warned residents not to eat too much gingko seeds in one serving following their investigation of a rare case of poisoning. A Hong Kong woman, 38, became ill after snacking about 50 to 60 gingko seeds she bought from a street hawker in Prince Edward, and she was admitted to a hospital in Kwun Tong on Sunday.
After about an hour and half of eating gingko seeds, the woman felt nauseous, dizzy, had tremors, experienced abdominal pains and headache, the Centre for Health Protection said in a press release. She was then treated at the United Christian Hospital and discharged on that same day with a stable condition. The center is now conducting an investigation.
According to the center, gingko seeds have natural neurotoxins but are mainly neurotoxic. So, overeating undercooked or raw ones could prompt symptoms including convulsions, vomiting, and irritability - typically begins from one to 12 hours after consuming it. The spokesman of the center noted that in severe cases, eating a large number of gingko seeds may lead to loss of consciousness, or in worse cases, it may lead to death. If symptoms of poisoning likely occur, it's important to immediately seek for medical assistance and consult a doctor for prompt treatments.
Also, there are reported cases that ingesting 10 to 50 pieces of cooked ginkgo seeds in one sitting may cause acute poisoning in humans. But, it is more toxic for uncooked and unripe seeds as the toxicity is being reduced after cooking. Now, the center is urging the public to avoid eating raw gingko seeds or just limit the intake, particularly among children, elderly, and those who have poor health.
The cases of gingko poisoning are rare in Hong Kong, said Dr. Lau Fei-lung, chairman of the clinical toxicology board at the Hong Kong College of Emergency Medicine. The risks can be reduced and avoided if the nuts were removed on the seeds, and when they are properly cooked and processed. He noted, however, that any amount exceeding to 50 gingko seeds is dangerous, but it depends on individuals as children, for instance, should only be eating far less than that.
As per the South China Morning Post, gingko nuts and the kernel of gingko fruit are usually consumed all over East Asia - but originated in the deep forests of China. They are commonly mixed into desserts such as egg white sweet soup and bean curd sheet and shelled and salt-roasted as snacks or in Hong Kong.
