Did our human ancestors just go around eating fruits and vegetables to see what was edible? And when they died from a poisonous fruit, how did the others know it was because of that specific fruit or vegetable?

Did our human ancestors just go around eating fruits and vegetables to see what was edible? And when they died from a poisonous fruit, how did the others know it was because of that specific fruit or vegetable?

No, they did not.

In first place they ate what they learned was edible. Basically they ate what their parents ate. This is what all mammals do, relying on learned behavior as much as on instinct on what to eat and what not to eat. Apes in particular tend to learn what to eat and how to eat it out of learning more than based on instinct, and this is also due to the fact that most apes eat a pretty wide range of foods (and we are apes too). So, a young chimpanzee learn how to hunt for ants with a twig, or how to crack nuts with a stone, by observing his or her elders doing the same.

Uga, the Homo habilis woman, not Fantozzi’s granddaughter

Secondly, there is a way to test new foods that minimizes risk. Suppose you are Uga, a Homo habilis woman and you are in a new territory. You spot a tree with large fruits and you wonder “They good eat?”

Yes, paw paw is an American fruit. On the other hand they loom plump and promising, so I will use this pic

First you sit down near the tree and check is any birds or other animals eat it. If it happens, the fruit is probably edible, especially if it’s eaten by several different species. Then you pick a fruit, choosing one that is ripe, break it open, and smell it. If the smell is sour or bitter the fruit is likely not edible, if it’s sweet, fruity or even floral it may be edible. At this point you place the tip of your tongue on the pulp without eating any: if the taste is immediately unpleasant or if you have a burning or tingling sensation the fruit is likely not edible, if the taste is pleasant it’s likely edible. At this point you start tasting increasing amounts of it. At first you taste just a small piece: if on chewing you get any unpleasant sensation you spit it out as the fruit is likely unedible, if not you swallow and wait. By now you know that the fruit is not likely to kill you after eating just a small amount, but you may nonetheless have unpleasant results (nausea, diarrhea, etc.), If this happens, the fruit may not be deadly but it’s not edible anyway, if not the next time you eat a larger portion. If you get to the point of eating a couple pieces with no ill effects, then the fruit is edible.

Following this method you can minimize the risk (the worst case is usually a bad bout of the runs or a couple of hours throwing up) and discover what is edible and what is not.

Image source Google

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