Alicia Silverstone says she’s ‘alive and well’ after sparking concerns from fans after she consumed a potentially-poisonous berry she had picked from the garden of her London home.
The 47-year-old actress posted an update to her TikTok account on Tuesday, reassuring her 4.3 million followers on the platform that she was fine after an earlier post had sparked concern for her well-being.
The San Francisco native said, ‘Alive and well! Don’t worry… I didn’t swallow’ adding emojis of a winking face and a face with tongue to the text update.
Silverstone, who’s appeared in films such as Clueless, Batman & Robin, The Crush, created a stir on Monday after she posted a clip of herself biting into a small orange berry that can cause fever and agonizing stomach pain.
Silverstone, who rose to fame appearing in Aerosmith videos such as Cryin’, Amazing and Crazy, asked her followers ‘what the heck’ it was, spurring feedback that the berry in question appeared to be a ‘toxic’ Jerusalem Cherry.
Alicia Silverstone, 47, says she’s ‘alive and well’ after sparking concerns from fans after she consumed a potentially-poisonous berry she had picked from the garden of her London home
The Batman & Robin actress posted an update to her TikTok account on Tuesday, reassuring her 4.3 million followers she was fine after an earlier post had sparked concern
Medical experts say that the Jerusalem Cherry is unsafe to consume, with symptoms including fever, sweating, vomiting, stomach pain, headache and increased heart rate.
In her initial clip Monday, Silverstone said, ‘I’ve discovered something and I can’t figure out what it is and I need your help – I just bit into it because I was on the street and we were discussing whether this was a tomato or not.
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‘It’s definitely not a tomato because of its leaves – so what the heck is this?’
After holding up the orange berry to the camera, Silverstone confessed that she didn’t think it was edible.
‘I don’t think you are supposed to eat this, but it is almost like a pepper,’ Silverstone said. ‘Does anyone know what this is, I need someone to tell me, I’m in England.’
A number of fans made references to Silverstone’s signature role of Cher Horowitz in the 1995 Amy Heckerling hit Clueless.
One user wrote, ‘Captain of the Pismo Beach Disaster Relief is marked SAFE!’ while another quoted her character in the film, saying, ‘AS IF!!!!’
Another fan said, ‘4 ever my clueless goddess’ in reference to the motion picture, which also starred Stacey Dash, Paul Rudd, Breckin Meyer and the late Brittany Murphy.
Silverstone filmed herself picking and biting into a small orange berry, while asking fans ‘what the heck’ it was
Silverstone received a variety of responses after she declared she was doing alright
Other fans said they were relieved she avoided any health issues as result of consuming the berry, with one fan saying, ‘I’m glad that u are ok Alicia’ while another said, ‘What a relief.’
Some alluded to the widespread news of the social media post, as one person said, ‘The media went bananas over your berry taste!’ while another said, ‘CNN reported on your street snack.’
After Silverstone’s initial post, fans were quick to comment that the berry was dangerous to consume.
One social media user commented: ‘OMG NO!! Jerusalem Cherry very poisonous in the Nightshade family. Hope you are ok.’
Another said: ‘Girl! berries are either great or freaking poisonous! Don’t eat rando bush-things,’ while another fan said: ‘She’s clearly clueless…’
Others warned the berries can cause itching and are definitely not safe to eat.
Solanum pseudocapsicum, also known as a Christmas Cherry or a Jerusalem Cherry, is a small bushy, evergreen shrub that produces dark, glossy leaves and red, or orange berries.
Part of the Solanaceae family, the plant is ‘harmful if eaten’ and should be handled wearing gloves, according to The Royal Horticultural Society.
Unknowingly eating a potentially dangerous plant, Silverstone filmed herself picking the berry with her bare hands from a London garden and biting into it (left). Part of the Solanaceae family, the plant (pictured squished on the floor, right) is ‘harmful if eaten’ and should be handled wearing gloves, according to The Royal Horticultural Society
Dr. Hana Patel, NHS GP, warned that the plant can be fatal if eaten and deaths have past been reported in connection with consuming it.
She said: ‘If plant or fruit is eaten, early symptoms can include fever, sweating, vomiting, stomach pain, headache and increased heart rate. Symptoms are delayed for several hours and can persist for days.’
She added that it can also cause allergic skin reactions.
Dr. Duane Mellor, a dietitian and spokesperson for British Dietetic Association, said: ‘Although the ripe Jerusalem Cherry contains less of the poisonous component than the unripe fruits and leaves it is still toxic.
‘As such it should not be eaten as can commonly cause gastrointestinal effects including pain, nausea and diarrhea as well as potentially delirium, fever and vision changes. ‘
Mellor added: ‘It is important that people only eat fruits that they are familiar with or they are sure are safe to eat.’