Becareful Before Eat Eggplant For these reasons

AllergiesEdit

Case reports of itchy skin or mouth, mild headache, and stomach upset after handling or eating eggplant have been reported anecdotally and published in medical journals see also oral allergy syndrome A 2008 study of a sample of 741 people in India, where eggplant is commonly consumed, found nearly 10% reported some allergic symptoms after consuming eggplant, with 1.4% showing symptoms within two hours Contact dermatitis from eggplant leaves and allergy to eggplant flower pollen have also been reported Individuals who are atopic genetically predisposed to developing certain allergic hypersensitivity reactions) are more likely to have a reaction to eggplant which may be because eggplant is high in histamines. A few proteins and at least one secondary metabolite have been identified as potential allergens Cooking eggplant thoroughly seems to preclude reactions in some individuals, but at least one of the allergenic proteins survives the cooking process.

Cooking and preparing

The raw fruit can have a somewhat bitter taste, or even an astringent quality, but becomes tender when cooked and develops a rich, complex flavor The fruit is capable of absorbing large amounts of cooking fats and sauces, making for very rich dishes, but salting reduces the amount of oil absorbed. Many recipes advise salting, rinsing, and draining the sliced fruit a process known as degorging to soften it and to reduce the amount of fat absorbed during cooking, but mainly to remove the bitterness of the earlier cultivars. Some modern cultivars including large purple ones commonly imported into western Europe do not need this treatment..