Deseed

Deseed is a verb describing the removal of seeds from fruit, vegetables, or other plant material, typically as part of food preparation. It can also refer to the resulting seedless product. The term is widely used in cooking, horticulture, and food processing to describe the practice of excluding seeds from edible flesh or pulp.

Common methods vary by produce. For peppers or squash, the seeds and surrounding membranes are cut away and discarded. For tomatoes and cucumbers, seeds are scooped from the central cavity. For apples or pears, the core containing the seeds is removed. In melons, a cut and scoop or spoon can remove the seed cavity, and for some citrus, membranes are removed to extract segments.

Some seeds are edible (such as pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds), and deseeding may be optional when the seeds themselves are desired in a dish. Others contain compounds that can be harmful in large amounts if crushed or eaten, so deseeding is common in practical food preparation. Precautions include using a clean knife and cutting board and washing the fruit before deseeding.

Breeding or processing can also produce seedless varieties, achieved through genetics or treatment, reducing or eliminating the need to deseed during consumption.