49 people were poisoned in Brittany, including five children

Datura is an alkaloid plant that causes poisoning. Five people were hospitalized after consuming contaminated flour, announced the ARS of Brittany.

At least 49 people, including 5 children, were poisoned after ingesting datura, a plant affecting the nervous system, announced the Brittany Regional Health Agency on Friday May 3. These reports were received between April 15 and April 29, said the same source, confirming information from BFMTV. Of these people, five were hospitalized, including three “in the emergency room for a few hours for monitoring”, she clarified. Most of the poisoned people live in Ille-et-Vilaine, and some in Morbihan and Côtes d’Armor, according to the same source.

On Wednesday, the ministries of Health and Agriculture requested the recall of “all batches of organic buckwheat flour from the JP Cloteau brand whose durability date (‘best before’) is between October 2024 and March 2025 inclusive”according to a joint press release. “Datura is a very common herbaceous plant, found in fields and which naturally contains very high levels of tropane alkaloids”recalled the ministries.

A toxic plant with effects on the nervous system

“These alkaloids are toxic and have effects on the nervous system. This plant can contaminate certain crops and cause acute poisoning. The symptoms are varied and can be as follows: dry mouth, dilated pupils, disorders vision, tachycardia, agitation, confusion, spatio-temporal disorientation, hallucinations, incoherent speech, balance disorders”details their press release.

The authorities have called on people with affected products not to consume them, and to possibly return them to the point of sale for destruction. “People who have consumed or used it in the preparation of pancakes, bread, pancakes, etc. and who present these symptoms in the hours following consumption of the product must contact their doctor or call 15 informing them of this alert”according to the same source.