Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.)

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is a stone fruit consumed fresh, dried, or processed, and is rich in carotenoids, phenolics, flavonoids, vitamins, and minerals including potassium. It is used as a whole food ingredient and in nutraceutical, functional food, and industrial applications.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

The apricot fruit flesh is broadly safe for the general adult population with no established ADI. However, raw apricot kernels contain amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside that releases hydrogen cyanide upon chewing or grinding; EFSA established an acute reference dose (ARfD) of 20 µg/kg body weight for cyanide and identified toxicity in adults consuming 20 or more kernels. Dried apricots are frequently preserved with sulfur dioxide (sulfites), posing a risk to sulfite-sensitive individuals.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Restricted	Raw apricot kernels placed on the market for direct human consumption are subject to a maximum cyanide level of 40 mg/kg, per regulatory follow-up to EFSA's 2016 CONTAM Panel opinion on acute health risks from cyanogenic glycosides in raw apricot kernels. The fruit flesh itself is freely permitted with no maximum level restriction.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Apricots are explicitly recognized by FDA as a fruit/vegetable under the Food Safety Modernization Act framework. No maximum residue or intake restriction applies to the fruit flesh; standard good agricultural practice and produce safety rules apply.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Sulfite Sensitivity — Commercially dried apricots are commonly preserved with sulfur dioxide (SO2/E220), which can trigger bronchospasm, urticaria, or anaphylaxis in sulfite-sensitive individuals and asthmatics.

Children — EFSA's 2016 CONTAM Panel found that consumption of 5 or more raw apricot kernels can exceed the ARfD for cyanide in children due to lower body weight, posing a risk of acute cyanide poisoning.

Infants — Raw apricot kernels are entirely unsuitable for infants due to the extreme cyanide risk from amygdalin hydrolysis; even the fruit flesh in purée form should be introduced age-appropriately per paediatric dietary guidance.

Kidney Disease — Apricots (especially dried) are very high in potassium (up to 2200 mg/100 g dry weight), which may contribute to dangerous hyperkalaemia in individuals with impaired renal potassium excretion.

Ibs — Dried apricots are high in sorbitol (a naturally occurring polyol) and fermentable carbohydrates, which may trigger bloating, cramping, or diarrhoea in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome on a low-FODMAP diet.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. A Review with Updated Perspectives on Nutritional and Therapeutic Benefits of Apricot and the Industrial Application of Its Underutilized Parts, 2022. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2PubMed. Nutritional and Phytochemical Traits of Apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.) for Application in Nutraceutical and Health Industry, 2021. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Evaluation of the health risks related to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides in foods other than raw apricot kernels – EFSA CONTAM Panel (2019), 2019. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4PubMed. Influence of long-term consumption of bitter apricot seeds on risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, 2018. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5EFSA. Acute health risks related to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides in raw apricot kernels and products derived from raw apricot kernels – EFSA CONTAM Panel (2016), 2016. efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Independently researched5 citations