A mystery illness that kills more than a hundred children in eastern India each year may be caused by eating lychees, according to scientists.

Researchers said consuming the tropical fruit on an empty stomach could be behind the deaths.

A toxin found in lychees inhibits glucose levels, which combined with already low levels as a result of not eating, affects the brain.

Outbreaks of the acute neurological illness have been reported since 1995 in Muzaffarapur, the main area in India where lychees are grown.

Image: There is concern the research findings could harm farmers' livelihoods

They have also coincided with the harvest season, with most of the victims being children from poor homes in rural villages.


American and Indian researchers compared children who had developed the condition and those that had not, between May and July 2014.

According to a report published in The Lancet Global Health medical journal, blood samples showed no signs of infection or exposure to chemicals and insecticides.

However, the children that became unwell had eaten lychees.

Skipping an evening meal in the 24 hours before the illness began was also associated with its onset.

Muazaffarpur civil surgeon, Lalitha Singh, said: "A toxin has been found (in lychees) which inhibits blood glucose levels and glucose levels are already low if for some time food is not eaten and if it is consumed then it further lowers it which affects the brain."

There is concern, however, that the findings could harm the livelihoods of lychee farmers.

Director at the National Research Centre for Litchi, Vishal Nath, said: "Such misleading news can create an atmosphere of panic among the people and it should be stopped immediately."

He added: "The outcome of the research is not true because lychee, especially Muzaffarpur's lychee, is very good in terms of nutritional value and for the past 200 years, people have been consuming it and such difficulties and problems have never come up and last year, in 2016, the production of lychee was very good and such problem did not surface."

But local health officials are advising parents to ensure their children have an evening meal and limit the number of lychees they consume.