
The tomato was dubbed "the poison apple" in 18th-century Europe because aristocrats would frequently become ill and die after eating them. They had no idea that the explanation had to do with their tableware, not the tomatoes. The high acidity of tomatoes, according to the historical cookbook "Heirloom Flavor: Yesterday's Best-Tasting Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs for Today's Cook," would cause lead to leach from the pewter plates used by rich aristocrats and cause lead poisoning. The aristocrats mistook the tomato for the source of the problem.
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