Episode 58: Marzipan, Almonds and Cyanide — A Toxicology Christmas Special

This week on The Tox Lab, we’re closing out the year with a festive twist as we explore the link between marzipan, bitter almonds, and cyanide.

We take a closer look at the chemistry linking cyanide to almonds and discuss a case of intentional bitter almond ingestion. We then turn to National Poisons Information Service data to examine patterns of cyanide exposure, clinical outcomes, and the antidotes used in management.

To round off the episode, we dip into the archives with a historical case report describing thallium poisoning linked to contaminated marzipan, reminding us that even festive treats can carry hidden toxicological risks.

Join us for a seasonal deep dive into poisons, cases, and chemistry as we wrap up the year on a sweet but slightly sinister note.

Hope you enjoy!

We’re taking a little break over the festive season but will be back with a brand new episode on the 5th January!

Links to the papers we discussed:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ccr3.8418

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15563650.2022.2080074

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/15563659409017979

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