The national agency for food, environmental and occupational health safety (ANSES) warns against poisoning due to the confusion between edible plant and toxic plant. If in doubt, call the poison control center or 15 in case of a vital emergency
–
No, it’s not a currant or a blueberry, but belladonna. It is not wild garlic, but colchicum. Some poisonous plants look like edible plants and can be confused in the wild or in the garden. “Confusions between toxic plant and edible plant occur regularly” warns ANSES. “Bitter gourds confused with edible gourds, saffron enanthus confused with wild carrots, datura leaves confused with horned tetragon leaves …” the examples are numerous.
Tips for avoiding accidents
Even at low doses, the consumption of certain poisonous plants can cause serious poisoning, even death. “Whether you collect plants in the wild or in your vegetable garden, you should therefore be extremely vigilant and follow some advice to avoid accidents”
In nature :
- Do not consume the collected plant if in doubt
- Immediately stop eating if the plant has an unusual or unpleasant taste;
- Do not pick in batches, to avoid picking several species and mixing toxic species with edible species;
- Take a picture of your pickup for easy identification in the event of poisoning.
If you collect plants from your home garden:
- If in doubt about its identification, do not consume the harvested plant
- Don’t improvise: make sure you know what the growing plant looks like. Use photographs of the plant available on the bag of seeds purchased or on other media (books, websites);
- Remain vigilant: it is not because a seedling emerges where it was sown that it comes from the sown lot;
- Be aware of the risk of confusion when harvesting plants from one transplanting year after year.
- Take a picture of your pickup for easy identification in the event of poisoning.
If there is the slightest doubt after ingestion or in the presence of symptoms, digestive or otherwise, in the hours following the consumption of plants collected in a domestic vegetable garden or in nature, contact a poison control center without delay.
Poison control centers give free, emergency medical teleconsultations 24 hours a day. For any situation related to a toxicant, seek advice and advice from a poison control center before consulting a doctor or going to the emergency room. –
Only call the SAMU by dialing 15 in case of vital distress
Poison and Toxicovigilance Centers
- NANCY : 03 83 22 50 50
- LYON : 04 72 11 69 11
- ANGERS : 02 41 48 21 21
- BORDEAUX : 05 56 96 40 80
- LILLE: 0800 59 59 59
- MARSEILLE : 04 91 75 25 25
- PARIS : 01 40 05 48 48
- TOULOUSE : 05 61 77 74 47
–
