What squash is not edible?

Ornamental gourds and hybrid garden squash should not be eaten. Some cucurbits are toxic and contain cucurbitacins, substances that are highly irritating and bitter.

anses.fr - Beware of inedible gourds! | Anses - Anses

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Ornamental gourds and hybrid garden squash should not be eaten

Some cucurbits are toxic and contain cucurbitacins, substances that are highly irritating and bitter. After ingestion, these can rapidly lead to digestive pain, nausea, vomiting and (sometimes bloody) diarrhoea, or even severe dehydration requiring hospitalisation. These substances, which are not destroyed by cooking, are naturally produced by wild cucurbits to repel predatory insects such as caterpillars. This is the case with ornamental gourds such as colocynths, all of which are considered toxic, available commercially (sometimes in the fruit and vegetable section) for strictly decorative uses, and which should not be confused with edible squash. This is also the case with certain edible squash grown in the garden vegetable patch, which become unfit for consumption as a result of wild hybridisations. This phenomenon occurs when inedible and edible varieties coexist in the same or in neighbouring vegetable patches, and the seeds are harvested and re-sown year after year. But beware! The inedible gourds that result from this hybridisation look exactly like edible squash, except that they have a bitter taste, unlike the edible varieties, which have a neutral or slightly sweet taste.

Frequent confusion

The French Poison Control Centres (CAPs) regularly receive calls regarding poisonings associated with the consumption of inedible "squash": In a retrospective study of inedible gourd poisonings recorded by the CAPs from 2012 to 2016, 353 people had mainly digestive symptoms, or at least a bitter taste in the mouth. While none had serious life-threatening symptoms (high severity), 4% of cases had pronounced or prolonged symptoms (moderate severity) such as bloody diarrhoea, intense gastric pain, dehydration and/or hypotension, etc. Lastly, among the cases where the supply source was known, 54% of bitter gourds came from the garden vegetable patch, with the remaining 46% purchased commercially. In another retrospective study on confusion of toxic plants with edible plants recorded by the CAPs from 2012 to 2018, among the 1159 cases of confusion recorded, those mistaking inedible gourds or colocynths for edible squash represented the third most frequent type of confusion (8.5% of the total), after confusions of toxic bulb plants with edible bulbs (12%) and of horse chestnuts with sweet chestnuts (11%).

Tips to avoid poisoning

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Should squash be washed before storing?

Directions: A great tip to help prevent spots of mold developing on the outer layer of skin, which will ultimately lead to early spoilage, is to oil buff the squash before storing. To oil buff, first thoroughly wash the squash to remove all dirt, then dry it completely.

soilborn.org - Storing Winter Squash - Soil Born Farms

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Storing Winter Squash

One of the best things about winter squash is that it can be stored and enjoyed up to 3 months depending on squash variety and if it has been stored properly.

Ingredients:

Winter squash

Directions:

A great tip to help prevent spots of mold developing on the outer layer of skin, which will ultimately lead to early spoilage, is to oil buff the squash before storing. To oil buff, first thoroughly wash the squash to remove all dirt, then dry it completely. Put a small amount of vegetable oil on clean cloth or paper towel then rub the oil all over the surface of the squash, buffing off any excess oil. The squash should not be greasy to the touch and just barely shiny. Be sure to work the oil into the crevices of acorn and delicata varieties. The ideal temperature to store winter squash is between 50 to 55°F in an area that can provide air circulation away from pears, apples or other ripening fruit. If you need to store your squash even longer, you can freeze it raw. Cut it into ½ to 1-inch cubes and store in freezer bags or store it after it has been cooked. Roast, boil or steam your squash until tender, scoop the flesh out of its shell and then mash or purée (with the exception of Spaghetti squash) and store in freezer-safe containers.

For more details on how to freeze your winter squash, visit https://www.thespruce.com/preserving-pumpkin-butternut-and-winter-squashes-1327938

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