A slimming product has been recalled from sale in Australia as it has been found to contain a toxic ingredient.

FSANZ said The Latin Seed product had been found to contain the toxic Thevetia neriifolia or Thevetia peruviana (otherwise known as yellow oleander, lucky nut or the ‘be still tree’) not Candle Nut (Aleurites moluccana) as declared on the label.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand’s Acting Chief Scientist, Dr Dorothy Mackerras, said that due to safety concerns, food and health authorities were overseeing a national recall of The Latin Seed product after government testing identified the seed came from yellow oleander.

‘In the Food Standards Code Thevetia neriifolia or Thevetia peruviana are prohibited for use in food products in Australia as they contain a toxic chemical which can cause a variety of symptoms ranging from diarrhoea to heart damage,’ Dr Mackerras said.

Dr Mackerras urges anyone currently using this product, marketed as being 100% Brazilian candle nut, to stop using it immediately, return to place of purchase or dispose of the product safely out of the reach of children.

Dr Mackerras said the products being recalled could be available throughout Australia in retail outlets such as health food stores, pharmacies, beauty salons, dress shops and fitness centres or may have been purchased directly via the internet.

Marketing of The Latin Seed has in the past utilised the internet, broadcast and print media.

‘We urge anyone who may have consumed this product and feels unwell to seek immediate medical advice,’ Dr Mackerras concluded.