Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Our Blog,Outbreaks & Recalls on August 30, 2026
More tejocote products have been flagged for being adulterated with toxic yellow oleander. Instead of the expected tejocote or Mexican hawthorn root, they contain toxic yellow oleander instead.
What exactly is tejocote and why do people take it? Why are these products being adulterated? What happens if you consume toxic yellow oleander and what should you do if you get sick?
Here’s what we know about the current toxic yellow oleander tejocote situation.
Tejocote, often sold under labels indicating raiz de tejocote or Mexican hawthorn root, is usually marketed as a weight loss supplement. It is touted for benefits like reducing body fat as a “natural” fat burner, easing digestion or bowel movements, and acting as a cleanse.
In some cases, these supplements are being produced and packaged with an entirely different herb instead.
With toxic yellow oleander.
Logically, poisoning your customer is not the best business move. So, why are these products being adulterated?
There are a few theories. Some more innocent than others.
One of the likely reasons for the toxic yellow oleander swap is due to their sharing the same geographical growing area. Both tejocote and yellow oleander grow natively in Mexico and Central America. They even look similar to each other. In fact, their physical appearance can be near identical.
When local gatherers harvest the seeds or roots to make this herbal supplement, there could be mistakes. Toxic yellow oleander could be collected instead.
Another reason for the potential adulteration of tejocote products could come down to a quality control issue. With the potential confusion between yellow oleander and true tejocote, product testing is very important.
Unregulated products often do not undergo important botanical verification prior to selling the products online. As a result, potentially adulterated tejocote makes it to the market without knowing for sure what is in the bottle. Gaps in oversight by selling products directly to consumers bypasses many gatekeeping measures in place to reduce the risk of these situations.
When considering the motivations for substituting toxic yellow oleander for tejocote, one cannot rule out the potential for fraud. Toxic yellow oleander is likely cheaper and probably more readily available than the true tejocote root product. Cutting the more expensive product with the cheaper toxic imposter can reduce production costs.
In some cases, tejocote was omitted entirely from the product. With the manufacturer packaging up yellow oleander instead of tejocote entirely!
The problem was originally discovered in September 2022, when a 232 month old child accidently consumed Eva Nutrition Mexican Tejocote Root and developed a reaction. Namely, nausea and vomiting with bradycardia, low blood pressure, and cardenolide toxicity.
The patient was treated and recovered. However, this discovery set the wheels in motion.
An investigation was launched that shed light on several adulterated products.
Since then, the list has been regularly updated as more products make the list. It was updated in March, April, September, and December of 2024. Then again in November 2025 and March 2026.
The most recent Safety Alert for Toxic Yellow Oleander in tejocote products was published August 12, 2026.
Several tejocote products containing toxic yellow oleander have been added to the list.
So far, the warning includes:
Yellow oleander is toxic due to the natural compounds found in the plant. Things like digitoxigenin, neriin, oleandrin, and oleondroside. These toxins create systemic symptoms that can be noticed across the entire system.
With chronic use, people often experience depression, loss of appetite, and halos.
We expect the products we purchase to be authentic and accurately labeled. When manufacturers are careless, do not take appropriate safety measures, or produce fraudulent products, people get sick. People suffer. People die.
If you have consumed tejocote products in good faith and later found that you consumed toxic yellow oleander instead, you may have a legal case.
To help your situation, there are a few things you should do.
An important step in determining if you have been sickened with toxic yellow oleander begins with seeing your healthcare provider and getting tested.
If you have recently consumed this poison, specialized tests can be performed to prove it.
Explain to your healthcare provider your concerns and advocate for yourself to get the tests you need to determine if you have been sickened by toxic yellow oleander.
Be sure to retain any remaining product you still have for testing as needed. Keep the product in the original packaging so that specific brand and lot information can be used if needed in traceback investigations.
If you have been poisoned with toxic yellow oleander, it is a good idea to get advice from a food poisoning lawyer. An experienced food poisoning lawyer can help you through this difficult process, point you in the direction of resources, gather evidence on your behalf, and represent you as needed.
If you have fallen ill after taking tejocote and want advice, The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has experienced food poisoning lawyers that can help!
The Lange Law Firm PLLC specializes in cases of foodborne illness to hold accountable those who are responsible for foodborne illnesses. We put a lot of trust in those who manufacture products like tejocote. When that trust is broken, people become sick. The Lange Law Firm, PLLC can help you set this right.
Contact our food poisoning lawyers today for a free consultation at (833) 330-3663 or click here to email.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)