Under ripe tomatillos - Ask Extension
Are under ripe tomatillos toxic? Some claim the under ripe tomatillos are less sweet, but not toxic and others claim the under ripe tomatillos are to...
Knowledgebase
Under ripe tomatillos #773364
Asked September 28, 2021, 8:00 AM EDT
Are under ripe tomatillos toxic? Some claim the under ripe tomatillos are less sweet, but not toxic and others claim the under ripe tomatillos are toxic.
Thank you for your help.
Anoka County Minnesota
Expert Response
Hi,
Unripe tomatillos contain more solanine than ripe ones, and solanine can be toxic. You’d have to eat a whole lot of them to get more than a slight stomach ache: http://stlawrence.cce.cornell.edu/resources/more-than-fifty-shades-of-night
There are ways to help ripen tomatillos even after they’re off the vine. See at the end of this article: https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-tomatillos-and-ground-cherries
