What is a Pip on an Apple: Unpacking the Seed and Core

December 23, 2025 •

4 min read

According to botanical definitions, the edible flesh of an apple is a false fruit, while the inner core containing the pips represents the true fruit. A pip on an apple is the small, dark seed found at its center, surrounded by a tough, fibrous core.

Quick Summary

Explore the science behind the tiny, dark seeds inside an apple's core. This guide explains what a pip is, its location, its function, and addresses the common myth about its toxicity.

Key Points

Definition: A pip is the British English term for an apple seed, located within the fruit's central core.
Toxicity: Apple pips contain amygdalin, which can release small amounts of cyanide if crushed and ingested, but swallowing a few whole is harmless.
Dosage: An adult would need to consume a very large quantity of crushed pips to be at risk of cyanide poisoning, making it highly unlikely.
Core Purpose: The apple core serves to protect the seeds and is typically discarded due to its fibrous, unpalatable texture, not because it is a significant poison risk.
Growing Apples: Planting an apple pip won't produce a genetically identical fruit, as commercial varieties are propagated via grafting.
Safety: For peace of mind, especially with children, it is wise to avoid intentionally crushing and eating large quantities of apple seeds.

What Exactly is a Pip on an Apple?

In British English, a "pip" is the common term for a small seed found in fruit, particularly within an apple or orange. For Americans, this is typically referred to simply as an apple seed. These small, hard, dark brown or black seeds are housed in the apple's core, and their primary biological function is to germinate into a new apple tree.

The Apple's Botanical Structure

To fully appreciate what a pip is, it's helpful to understand the botanical anatomy of an apple. An apple is a 'pome,' a type of accessory fruit. This means the edible flesh isn't formed from the plant's ovary, but from the enlarged floral receptacle. The true fruit is the core itself, which is comprised of several distinct parts:

Skin (Exocarp): The thin, outer protective layer.
Flesh (Mesocarp): The juicy, edible part most people enjoy.
Core (Endocarp/Carpels): The central, fibrous part that contains the seeds. It's essentially the tough inner chamber of the fruit.
Pips (Seeds): The small, hard seeds, typically one or two per chamber (carpel) inside the core.

Is an Apple Pip Poisonous?

One of the most persistent myths about apples is that the pips are lethally poisonous. The truth is more nuanced. Apple seeds contain a compound called amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside that releases small amounts of hydrogen cyanide when crushed and digested. However, several factors make accidental poisoning from apple pips extremely unlikely:

The Seeds Must Be Crushed: Amygdalin is only released when the seed is chewed or crushed. A whole, intact pip will pass through the digestive system harmlessly.
High Dose Required: A lethal dose of cyanide is far higher than what could be released from a few accidentally-chewed seeds. A study suggests it would take around 83-500 crushed seeds to cause acute cyanide poisoning in an adult, which is an unrealistic quantity for casual consumption.
Tough Core Protection: The hard, fibrous core and seed casing make it difficult to chew and crush the seeds by accident.

Comparing Pips with Stone Fruits

While apple pips are only a minor concern, the pits of other fruits have a different toxicity profile. Here is a comparison:


Feature	Apple Pips (Seeds)	Stone Fruit Pits (e.g., Cherry, Peach)
Location	Contained within the fibrous, central core.	The hard, central 'stone' contains a single kernel/seed.
Structure	Small, dark brown/black seeds within multiple carpel chambers.	A single, large seed protected by a woody endocarp shell.
Toxicity	Contain amygdalin, releasing small amounts of cyanide when crushed.	Also contain amygdalin, releasing cyanide when the kernel is consumed.
Toxicity Concern	Very low risk due to small seed size and number. Large quantity needed to be dangerous.	Higher risk if the large kernel is deliberately crushed and eaten, though still requires a large dose.

Growing an Apple Tree from a Pip

For those inspired to grow their own apple tree, planting a pip is a possibility, but there are important factors to consider. Apples grown from seeds are not genetically identical to the parent tree. The resulting tree will likely produce different, and often less desirable, fruit. For this reason, commercial apple varieties are not grown from pips but are propagated by grafting, where a desired variety is grown on a specific rootstock.

The Function of the Apple Core

The core's main job is to protect the seeds inside. It's a tough, fibrous area that is not particularly tasty or easy to chew, which is why most people discard it. Some people do eat the whole apple, core and all, with minimal risk, but it's largely a matter of personal preference and texture tolerance.

Common Myths About Apple Pips Debunked

Myth: Eating a few apple seeds will kill you. Fact: The amount of cyanide released is tiny and harmless in small doses. You would need to eat an extremely large number of crushed seeds for it to be dangerous.
Myth: Apple seeds are completely harmless. Fact: While a few are not dangerous, they are not entirely risk-free. It's best to avoid intentionally consuming large quantities of crushed seeds, particularly for children.
Myth: All apple cores are inedible. Fact: The toughness of the core is the main reason it's typically discarded, not toxicity. Some people find no issue with eating the entire apple.

The Final Bite: The Truth About the Apple Pip

Ultimately, an apple pip is simply the seed, and the panic surrounding its toxicity is largely unwarranted for the average person. The body can safely process the small amount of amygdalin found in a few accidentally ingested pips. The main reason to discard the core is the fibrous, unpalatable texture, not a significant risk of poisoning. The next time you enjoy an apple, you can rest easy knowing that its pips are more of a botanical fact than a health risk.

For further reading, consult authoritative sources such as the Britannica article on the topic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, apple pips contain amygdalin, a compound that releases cyanide when crushed. However, the amount is so small that swallowing a few whole pips is harmless, and you would need to consume a very large number of crushed seeds for it to be dangerous.

A 'pip fruit' is a botanical term that includes fruits like apples, pears, and quinces. It refers to fruits where the seeds are contained within a central core, which is the true fruit, surrounded by fleshy tissue from the flower.

Yes, you can plant an apple pip, but the tree that grows will not be a genetic clone of the parent apple. It will be a new variety, and the fruit it produces may be very different from the original.

For an adult, eating the whole apple, core and seeds included, is generally safe. The core is mostly tough and fibrous, and the amount of amygdalin in the seeds is very low. However, the texture can be unpleasant.

While the number can vary, an average apple typically contains about five to eight seeds inside its core.

If a child accidentally eats a few whole apple pips, there is generally no cause for concern. The seeds must be crushed to release amygdalin. If a large number of seeds are consumed and crushed, you should contact Poison Control as a precaution.

The pips are located within the apple's core, which consists of several carpels, or small, seed-containing chambers, at the center of the fruit.