Please be careful about food poisoning caused by toxic plants in kitchen gardens.

Please be careful about food poisoning caused by toxic plants in kitchen gardens.

It is popular for consumers to purchase seedlings at horticultural shops and cultivate and collect edible plants (vegetables, wildflowers, herbs, etc.) in vegetable gardens, etc. There is a risk of serious food poisoning.
In 2015, 42 people became food poisoning due to eating toxic plants at home through vegetable gardens and wild vegetable harvesting (including cases suspected to be associated with toxic plants). 。 Of these, four have died, and the number of deaths has been the highest in the past decade.
Based on the above, the Consumer Affairs Agency conducted a questionnaire survey of 2,000 consumers nationwide on their awareness and behavior regarding eating plants grown at home and plants that grew naturally, and based on the results. We have summarized important points to prevent food poisoning due to toxic plants. At the same time, we requested related organizations to work on prevention of food poisoning due to toxic plants, such as raising awareness of consumers.
Food poisoning due to toxic plants occurs frequently every spring, especially from April to May, so be especially careful in the coming season.

• Please be careful about food poisoning by toxic plants in kitchen gardens (Consumer Affairs Agency) (PDF: 1,095KB)