Zucchini: poison slug of the vegetable world

[Sailor Kenshin]

So being a sucker for lah-di-dah vegetables, I purchased a round zucchini, and a white one. Because, like, wow. Round! White!

Figured to also toss in a homegrown Cubanelle, and a handful of our paltry homegrown string beans.

Cut up the round zuc. Okay so far. Part-peeled and cut up the white zuc. Slime spewed from the cut parts. All Hades broke loose. My hand went numb. And swelled. Washed with soap, then alcohol. Then Purell. Then repeated.

Nothing doing. Numb, swollen, and now looking like they're covered in Elmer's glue. I'm panicking. DH puts a food glove on me to contain the ick, then looks up Reaction to Zucchini.

Turns out it's a THING. A known thing.

It will allegedly go away. I'm not sure.

Hours later and my hands still have 'glue' on them and there's still a film on my knife.

Death to zucchini. We hates it for ever, Preciousss. Yess, we does.

[KKay]

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/salicylate-allergy

Are you allergic to this whole family, or JUST zucchini? Sounds like you had a tough reaction. I really like zucchini. Zucchini bread is out of this world good to me. I mix zucchini and squash for a casserole. I love it, but only if there is a lot of cheese in it. You at least need to keep some Benedryl on hand. If that did that much to you on the skin, it is a good thing you didn't eat it! You should tell your doctor about this. I used to keep an Epi-pen with me most of the time. But that was before the price went through the roof.

[Marsilius]

Curse of the Creepy Courgette?

[Sailor Kenshin]

Makes me wonder what other seemingly-innocent vegetables lie in wait, plotting my doom.

Thanks, KKay...I've grown, prepped and eaten zuc for decades with impunity. Just this one evil example, but it was enough to add zuc to the list of Banned Substances.

[penultress]

I've never heard of this! Poor you! Get better!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[jar]

Several of the squash family have similar protection methods. They exude a slimmy film that helps cover, protect and heal nicks and cuts that happen during growing. It's not an allergic reaction but rather you are coating your skin with the slim and it forms a layer on your skin. Check the cutting board because it too will have a coating. Time and a salt scrub have worked for me in the past but it's a salt scrub like you would to clean a cast iron pan.

[Sailor Kenshin]

My fingers are blue! My fingers are blue!

Oh, wait, that's Kon-Peki. Move along, nothin' to see. ;)

[Cob]

Entirely sympathetic: all vegetables except potatoes, carrots and peas (runner beans 50/50) are truly disgusting; you will never find any of them on my plate!

Cob

[Wile E Coyote]

If it's green it's not food.

[Cob]

If it's green it's not food.

Ha ha ha - except for rabbits eh?

In fact I should have said that salad stuff is fine; it's all that cooked muck that stinks - and all of it tastes of (ugh!) cabbage: brocoli, cauliflower, cabbage, sprouts - even asparagus. All horrid.

Cob

[Red Harry N. G.]

It's okay, you can all bring me your veggies. This stuff is yum!

[Morgaine]

Parsnips are evil - if the leaves touch your skin, especially in sunlight.... blisters. Stinging nettles don't hurt for as long.

[Waski_the_Squirrel]

Wow. I had never heard of this.

[Lady Onogaro]

Sailor,

Is it any better? Maybe a trip to the doctor or clinic is necessary?

[Sailor Kenshin]

Sailor,

Is it any better? Maybe a trip to the doctor or clinic is necessary?

It's all better now, thanks. It was very gradual to depart, and having people over for a barbecue helped me deal with it. :)