Would you eat blackberries from near a road...

Toonie

Just wondering what you all think, would you eat blackberries that grew by the side of a busy road? There are a wealth of blackberries near my house, but I always remember my mum saying that you shouldn't eat them because they would be polluted and I was wondering whether that really is the case.

Agutka

I would if they were the only ones available...
We have lots of bushes round here, but only three that produce large fruit as they are in the sun. One of these is next to a road, and yes I have eaten off it...still alive.
But yes, I have also been told not to eat them.

salster

As long as you give them a good rinse I can't see that there would be a problem.

Most of the food that we eat is grown in fields by the road.

teedy23

I would, after giving them a good wash of course. I used to eat blackberries and blueberries and brambles from a railway shunt-yard when I was small, was just beside a coal bing. How much pollution would contain!!! still very much alive and not prone to headaches in either of my heads, so no harm done

meanmarie

As blackberries are one of the few free foods still available, I would. A good wash and avoid any too close to the ground and you are fine...what are you going to do with them, if they are going to be cooked they should be fine anyway.

Marie

craig777

Give them a good rinse and don't worry.

Roadside pollution won't be any worse than the pesticides that get sprayed onto the ones in the shops (unless of course you usually buy organic).

hazzie123

Is it Bramble season already?The council keep on chopping my local bramble bushes down.

Toonie

I hadn't really thought what I was going to do with them, probably apple and blackberry crumble. There are scores of bramble bushes already laden with them around here. Being on the outskirts of London, I've never felt overly keen on eating the ones near the road, but I guess considering I live about as close as the blackberries and I'm still alive, they should be ok.

ollyk

The only thing I would worry about would be being charged for theft as one OAP was recently by picking blackberry's off a canal towpath!!

Toonie

The rights of the land that the bushes are on are that berries and other foodstuffs may be picked if used for oneself (family) and not to be sold commercially in any form, so I'm ok on that one.

boo81

You might be interested in this report:

http://archive.food.gov.uk/maff/archive/food/infsheet/2000/no199/199multi.htm