Consumers warned about poison in sand ginger powder; two sent to the hospital with heart issues

Fraser Health, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, and the BC Drug and Poison Information Centre are warning the public not to consume Wing Hing brand sand ginger powder because it may contain poisonous monkshood powder.

This recall comes after Fraser Health began an investigation into the sand ginger powder after two people presented to the hospital in early February with heart irregularities after consuming the product.

The recalled Wing Hing Trading Co. Ltd. product was sold in the Crystal Mall, Unit 1162 – 4500 Kingsway, Burnaby, B.C.

According to the health alert, monkshood is the common name for a plant called Aconitum. Roots of the plant, which look very similar to ginger root, contain the toxin aconitine that can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, weakness, irregular ventricular contractions, and in severe cases, death.

Product subject to alert:

Fraser Health Public Health advises people who have this sand ginger powder to not consume it and discard it immediately.

Fraser Health has seized the remaining product from the store and continues to work with other agencies to ensure it is further removed from the marketplace.

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