Thousands of 'deadly' seed bracelets recalled after Eden Project gift shop reveals they are made from beans twice as toxic as RICIN

No known antidote to poison that causes kidney failure



Jewellers have died from just pricking their fingers as they bored holes through the seeds

On sale in shop for a year before 'expert' staff realised what they were





An alert has gone out for the recall of thousands of beaded bracelets sold in tourist attractions after it emerged they are made from a highly toxic seed.

The Eden Project in Cornwall, which sold 2,800 in a year, is one of 36 retailers urging customers to return the red and black wrist charms.

They are made from the Jequirity bean - a deadly seed of the plant abrus precatorious which contains the toxin abrin, a controlled substance under the Terrorism Act.

Danger: The red and black seed bracelet which has been recalled by the Eden Project and 36 other retailers

Fatal: The distinctive red and black seeds of the Abrus precatorius which are used in jewellery

It can kill if just 3 micrograms is swallowed, 75 times smaller than a fatal dose of ricin to which it is related. It is twice as toxic as the chemical warfare agent.



The symptoms of poisoning are acute gastroenteritis with vomiting, diarrhea, shock and potentially fatal kidney failure.

People who have bought the bracelets are being urged to bag them and then wash their hands and avoid touching their eyes. They are being offered refunds by the stores.

The Eden Project in St Austell was selling the bracelets, which originated from Peru, for about a year before one of the attraction's own horticulturists spotted the poisonous seeds.

Tourist attraction: The Eden Project in St Austell, Cornwall where the 'deadly' bracelets were sold

All remaining stocks have now been removed from its shelves and the item has not been sold through the company's online store.

'We have been advised that in an extreme case, if these seeds are chewed or ingested, it is very dangerous and potentially lethal.'

SYMBOL OF LOVE IN CHINA AND IT REPELS EVIL SPIRITS

Abrus precatorius has many names around the world including Jequirity, Crab's Eye, Rosary Pea, John Crow Bead, Precatory bean, Indian Licorice, Akar Saga, Giddee Giddee or Jumbie Bead.

A native of Indonesia, it is a legume with long, feather-like leaves and mostly red and black beads used in percussion instruments and jewellery.

The plant grows in tropical and subtropical areas. It has long been a symbol of love in China, and its name in Chinese means 'mutual love bean'.

In Trinidad in the West Indies the brightly coloured seeds are strung into bracelets and worn around the wrist or ankle to ward off jumbies or evil spirits.

A tea is made from the leaves and used to treat fevers, coughs and colds.

Kilmartin House Museum, in Argyll, said its gift shop had sold 'fewer than a dozen' of the bracelets. The suppliers, Suffolk wholesaler Rainstick Trading, did not return calls last night.

There is no suggestion Rainstick was aware that the bracelet was made from potentially dangerous materials, said the BBC.

In a Q & A on its website, the Eden Project warns: 'Ingestion of any quantity of chewed, crushed or drilled (such as in a necklace) seeds should be regarded seriously because, if fully absorbed, even small amounts of abrin can be fatal.



'However, seeds are not expected to cause serious problems if swallowed whole and not chewed.

'There may be a delay of up to three days before symptoms occur. Anyone who is suspected of ingesting seeds from this plant should seek medical advice immediately.'

Q: Are all seed bracelets sold by the Eden Project affected?



A: 'No, only the one with red and black seeds and refunds will only be given on this bracelet.'



The Jequirity bean is commonly used in jewellery in West Africa and is thought to ward off witchcraft in the Obeah religion.

Its toxin is chemically more powerful than ricin, the poison used by the Bulgarian secret police to assassinate dissident Georgi Markov with a pellet-tipped umbrella.