A batch of toxic spinach has sparked alarm in Australia after people who consumed it had severe reactions and hallucinations, the BBC reports.

Nine people needed medical attention after eating Riviera Farms spinach purchased at Costco.

Health authorities say their symptoms included delirium, rapid heart rate and blurred vision.

Riviera Farms says it believes the spinach was infested with weeds, but other produce was not affected.

Health NSW has warned that any package of the brand’s spinach with an expiry date of December 16 is unsafe to eat and should be thrown away.

He also urged anyone who experiences unusual symptoms after eating spinach to seek medical attention.

“No one has died, so we’re very pleased with that and hope it stays that way, but these people are very sick … to the point of hallucinating where they’re seeing things that aren’t there,” Dr Darren Roberts, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told the Sydney Morning Herald poisoning

A representative for Riviera Farms said they took immediate action, asking stores to remove the product from their shelves.

“There is no indication, and to our knowledge, there is no possibility that any other products have been affected by this weed,” company officials said.

All those affected so far are from Sydney, NSW Health said, but it has also alerted authorities in other states.

(source: news.ro)