Did Alicia Silverstone Actually Eat Poisonous Fruit?

Actress Alicia Silverstone gave her fans a big scare after she appeared to eat a poisonous fruit, then disappeared — leaving her followers to wonder if she was okay. On Monday, August 19th, 2024, the star of the 1995 movie "Clueless" posted a TikTok video of herself in England, as she happened upon a shrub with small red fruits, which she noted looked very similar to cherry tomatoes. After pronouncing toe-mah-toe with a faux British accent, she divulged that while she had no idea what the fruit was, she'd already bitten into one. She pointed out that the foliage didn't look like tomato leaves before asking her viewers "What the heck is this?"

Next, she plucked one of the fruits from a bush growing behind a fenced yard — and then shockingly took another bite on camera. She compared it to tasting somewhat like a pepper, before stating the obvious: "I don't think you're supposed to eat this."

That turned out to be quite an understatement, as people were quick to point out that what she'd eaten was a Jerusalem cherry, a poisonous fruit that can cause severe gastrointestinal distress, and in some cases, even death (per Poison Info).

After leaving her concerned audience to worry and speculate for more than 24 hours, by late afternoon on Tuesday, August 20th, 2024, Silverstone resurfaced with a follow-up TikTok post. Accompanied by a photo of herself, she shared the simple yet cheeky caption: "Don't worry ... I didn't swallow."

Acting clueless is fine for a movie role, but eating unidentified found fruit is never a good idea. Thankfully, Alicia Silverstone escaped from her stunt unscathed, but it's safe to say she got lucky. Jerusalem cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum) is also known as Christmas cherry, ground cherry, natal cherry, and Madeira winter cherry (or just winter cherry). It's a member of the nightshade family, notorious for containing deadly plants. Although some nightshades can be safely consumed, Jerusalem cherry isn't one of them.

Safe nightshades you may already be eating include tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, chilis, and potatoes. The poisonous ingredient in Jerusalem cherry is called solanocapsine, which is found in nightshades as the alkaloid solanine. The amount present affects what makes it dangerous or not, which is why there are safety tips you need to confidently eat green potatoes, which may contain high levels of the toxin.

Concentrations of solanine are in every part of the Jerusalem cherry plant, especially its unripe fruit (like what Silverstone was munching on). Eating the cherries may cause headaches, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, slowed breathing, shock, or paralysis, among other symptoms. While death is uncommon, it is a possibility. If someone has consumed Jerusalem cherry, either accidentally or because they just didn't have a clue, it should be taken seriously. It is advised to contact your local poison control center immediately regarding this or any of the various kinds of food poisoning for more information.