Bern issues warning over poisonous polenta

The federal office of food safety and veterinary services (BLV) on Monday issued a warning about the product, produced by German company Rapunzel.

The office said it was informed about the situation via the European Union’s rapid alert system for food safety.

Rapunzel, a company that specializes in organic food, has issued a recall of its organic polenta cornmeal in 500-gram packages with “best before” dates of October 22nd and 23rd 2015.

The BLV recommends that consumers not consume the products and to return them to stores where they were purchased.

Tropane alkaloids are naturally occurring plant toxins, derived from the seeds of other cereal crops that can contaminate the harvest.

These substances can trigger acute symptoms such as dizziness, headaches or nausea, the BLV said.

It said that anyone who has consumed this polenta product and suffered from severe symptoms should contact their health care provider.