Why did butternut squash make my fingers dry and yellow?

Why did butternut squash make my fingers dry and yellow? - From Above Shot Of Dried Leaves and Yellow Fruit

Last weekend I made butternut squash soup. In an experiment to get more of the squash browned I peeled two medium squash and cut them into 2 inch chunks, rather than just halving it, before roasting in the oven. (Result of the experiment was OK, but the extra exposed area also allows more moisture to escape, so I wouldn't recommend this method.)

Halfway through peeling the 2nd squash I noticed that the fingers on my left hand (I'm right-handed) were getting yellow and that the skin was drying, cracking, and tightening up. The yellow I can understand as transfer since I was using that hand to hold the squash while peeling. But I've peeled butternut plenty of times for various recipes and this hasn't happened before. Washing my hands didn't help. The problem went away after a couple of days.

Does anyone want to venture an explanation? Did my fingers O.D. on carotene or potassium?



Best Answer

It's definitely a very real reaction. I'm not sure exactly what in the squash it is that causes it, but since different people react differently - some people have strong reactions like you, some people have mild ones, and some have no problem at all - it seems to be some sort of mild allergic reaction. It's often called contact dermatitis, but that's a very generic term and doesn't really mean anything you don't already know. I'm not sure exactly what component of the squash it is that causes it, but I don't think it's carotene or potassium. It's likely some more complex molecule that tends to be present in various winter squashes.

orange skin reaction to squashorange skin reaction to squash

Images from http://foodworld-eva.blogspot.com/2010/01/squash-reaction-on-skin.html.

You can avoid it by completely wearing gloves while working with the squash, or if you're lucky, you have someone else with you who can handle the squash without problems. For many purposes, like soup, you can also simply cut the squash in half, roast it, then scoop out the good stuff. But if you do really need to peel it and cut into chunks, your best hope is just to try to avoid touching it too much. You'll also want to wash your hands immediately after, or even a few times while you're cutting if it takes a while.

If you do end up with this despite your best efforts, cortisone cream can help relieve the reaction afterward.

(And as for your soup, there's nothing wrong with letting more moisture escape in exchange for browning. You can always just add more water or stock back into the soup. This can even be a good thing, since it lets you replace water with a more flavorful liquid.)




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Why did butternut squash make my fingers dry and yellow? - Photo of Woman Holding A Pumpkin
Why did butternut squash make my fingers dry and yellow? - Person Holding Dried Red, Brown, and White Flower
Why did butternut squash make my fingers dry and yellow? - Woman in Black and White Striped Long Sleeve Shirt Holding Leaf



Quick Answer about "Why did butternut squash make my fingers dry and yellow?"

I would guess that the drying and irritation are caused by the pectins in the butternut squash. If you cut a butternut squash and leave it alone for a few minutes you will see beads of liquid forming on the cut surface which will turn into a solid gel due to their high pectin concentration.

Why do my hands get dry after cutting butternut squash?

The liquid is so strong that it can harden into protective scab if the squash becomes cut or damaged\u2014much like a tree. This sap has the same effect on skin, it creates a tough film that can feel stiff, or even itchy.

Can butternut squash cause a skin reaction?

Butternut squash and Acorn squash have been known to cause an allergic reaction in many individuals, especially in food preparation where the squash skin is cut and exposed to the epidermis.

Is butternut squash allergic reaction?

No. Allergies to butternut squash are rare, though it's not uncommon to get an itchy rash on the hands after handling winter squashes. To minimize any reaction, wash your hands after preparing the squash.



Does Peeling Butternut Squash Make Your Hands Feel Weird? Here’s Why. | Southern Living




More answers regarding why did butternut squash make my fingers dry and yellow?

Answer 2

Okay happened to me too. I did notice a clear gel like substance coming from the squash when I chopped and peeled it, I read that's a natural substance to "protect" itself from damage, like sealing up a cut or wound. I cut up 4 of them, only the first one had this. So may be from varying ripeness. I washed my hands after cutting them all up,(since they were so orange) as soon as my hands began drying they started reacting... slick film, tightening, a little numbness. I started washing them again and really scrubbing them, can't tell if it is the film or layer of skin that comes off I think it's the dried film from the squash. It takes some hard scrubbing but it will come off, hands very dried out afterwards.

Answer 3

I've had this happen before after preparing butternut squash. Once, I also found that my fingers turned shiny. I realized that the wax that was on the butternut squash had gotten on my hands since I had rinsed the squash under hot water before peeling.

It was impossible to wash away this wax coating on my fingers, so I just left it on my hands even though it was annoying. After a day the wax was gone, but my fingers still felt tight and looked yellow for another day, most likely due to dermatitis.

Since then I'm careful to not rinse my butternut squash (or anything else covered in wax) under hot water. Instead I just give it a cold water rinse. I still get the dermatitis, but at least there is no wax!

Answer 4

I am a violinist and whenever I cut of butternut squash, my skin peels and is so tight that i cannot play. I didn't know how to get it off, but then my daughter came and told me to use packing tape. Surprisingly, it worked! A few peices of packing tape later, 90% of the it was off my hands.

Answer 5

This happens to me every time I make butternut squash. I am not sure what it is, but it comes off if you scrub it hard enough. I usually just take a sponge or something rough and scrub for like 5 minutes until its all off. Then I usually put lotion on afterwards. I am pretty sure it is not a skin reaction, its some kind of coating. Reading the other answers, I can't believe you guys leave your hands like that for days! I can't stand it!

Answer 6

the wax develops naturally from the sun. make sure the squash is fully ripe before handling and cutting/preparing. unripened squash have a chemical that can, and usually does attack the skin. Thats why unripened squash is usually fed to chickens or discarded.

Answer 7

I think its the wax. I took a box cutter and scraped most of it off. It felt horrible

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