Qld: Deadly ornament recalled by traders

AAP General News (Australia)
12-25-2006
Qld: Deadly ornament recalled by traders

BRISBANE, Dec 25 AAP - A glass bottle ornament which has been sold in the lead up to
Christmas is being recalled because it contains seeds that could kill a child.

Queensland Fair Trading Minister Margaret Keech said today that the Message in a Bottle
ornament contains seeds from the deadly abrus precatorius plant.

"The seeds are the size of a tic tac, bead-shaped and are red in colour with a black
spot at the base of the seed," Mrs Keech said.

Mrs Keech said the raw seeds - also known as Crab's Eye, Gidee-Gidee, Precatory Bean,
Rosary Pea and Jequirity Bean - contain abrin, one of the deadliest plant toxins in the
world.

"If cracked and swallowed, one seed would be fatal to a child," Mrs Keech said.

"I cannot stress enough how dangerous this product is."

Mrs Keech said anyone who has purchased one of these bottles should throw it away immediately
or take it back to the store for a full refund.

AAP cf/ks

KEYWORD: BOTTLE

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