Autumn marks the return of chestnuts to schoolyards and public gardens, but also the return of chestnuts along hedgerows and woodland paths.
To the naked eye, the first is shiny, round and plump, while the second is more withered, conical, with a small flare at the base. However, their similarity is confusing to non-botanists. However, mistaking chestnuts for chestnuts can lead to digestive upset.
“In autumn, there is frequent confusion between horse chestnut and chestnut.emphasizes Dr. Sandra Sinno-Tellier, Epidemiologist, Assistant Director of Health Alerts and Vigilance at ANSES. The nation’s eight poison control centers receive hundreds of calls each year from people who have eaten horse chestnuts for dinner, thinking they were edible like chestnuts. This is one of the most common food confusions…
Source: Le Figaro
