More than 150 Australians Poisoned by Hallucinogenic Spinach: What We Know

More than 150 Australians have reported symptoms of poisoning and hallucinations after consuming fresh spinach purchased from supermarkets. This was reported by RTVI.

The Australian government's food standards agency has announced a mass recall of potentially dangerous products from retail. According to the New South Wales Department of Health, the spinach may be contaminated with "unsafe plant material" from weeds that presumably "polluted the spinach crop" during recent floods. Likely contaminants include mallow and mandragora.

The report lists symptoms of poisoning from the contaminated batch of spinach, including delirium and confusion, hallucinations, dilated pupils, rapid heartbeat, facial flushing, blurred vision, and a sensation of dryness in mucous membranes and skin.

Australian authorities are urging residents not to purchase the toxic spinach and to avoid trying to experience its effects, as reported by The West Australian. The cause of the poisoning has not yet been identified, and laboratory investigations are underway.