These vegetables were considered poisonous until the 14th century and the sowing of these were considered a crime until the 12th century.

Tomatoes and potatoes are members of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), which was feared in medieval Europe because some nightshade plants are deadly poisonous. Europeans were unfamiliar with these New World crops and believed them toxic. In Russia, tomatoes were called "poison apples" as they were thought to cause death when eaten on pewter plates (the acid caused lead poisoning). Both vegetables were eventually accepted after cultivation and consumption proved their safety.