Keep daffodils away from food, supermarkets warned

[Nye Bevan]

Supermarkets have been urged to keep daffodils away from fruit and vegetable aisles this spring - in case they are mistaken for food. In a letter to major stores, Public Health England warned the flowers could be confused with onions or Chinese vegetables, and consumption of them was an "emerging risk". Daffodils contain toxic alkaloids that can cause severe vomiting, it said. It noted 27 cases of poisoning linked to daffodils and narcissi last year.

Prof Paul Cosford, director for health protection at Public Health England, wrote a letter to the stores headed "steps to avoid daffodil poisonings this spring". He said: "Each spring stores such as yours provide a wide selection of flowers, particularly cut daffodils and daffodil bulbs. Unfortunately there are rare occasions when the bulbs are mistaken for onions, and the stems or leaves are mistaken for a type of vegetable popular in China. As I'm sure you are aware, daffodils are dangerous if eaten and poisoning can occur as a result."

He continued: "We are asking you, along with all other major supermarkets, to ensure that daffodils, both the bulbs from which they sprout and the cut variety too, are displayed well away from the produce or fruit and vegetable area."

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-31176748

However much you may be tempted, do not eat the daffodils.

[gopiscrap]

1. That's interesting

where I come from (Tacoma) 11 miles away in Puyallup is the daffodil capital of the world. We would never mistake them for food.

[MADem]

2. Or the daisies, either--but for other reasons.... nt

[elleng]

3. Please, Please don't eat the daisies!!!

[Daemonaquila]

4. And turning to "Totally-Not-An-Issue"-land...

Seriously, this is a non-problem waiting to not-happen.

[IcyPeas]

5. look at the pictures in this article - garlic chives do look like budding daffodils:

http://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1706118/consumers-may-mistake-daffodils-chinese-vegetable-uk-stores-warned

the garlic chives are very similar to daffodils in bud.

In the past six years 63 people have become ill and last year the National Poison Information Service answered 27 calls about daffodil poisoning.

Public Health England says it has seen cases of consumers mistaking daffodil bulbs for onions and the stems for garlic chives popular in Chinese cuisine.

Professor Paul Cosford, director for health protection, said: “Daffodils are dangerous if eaten and poisoning can occur as a result.

“We are aware of an incident in Bristol a few years ago in which some shoppers, for whom English was not their first language, bought daffodils and cooked the plants believing them to be something else.

“Several required hospital treatment.

“We are asking stores to ensure daffodils, both the bulbs from which they sprout and the cut variety, are displayed well away from the produce or fruit and vegetable area.

[REP]

6. Wait - cenin pedr isn't really a leek?

[niyad]

7. this really isn't funny. in reading the article, it is clear that there is a serious problem in the

fact that certain asian vegetables bear a resemblance to daffs--a number of people have been poisoned.