Health authorities have identified homemade chilli paste products as the source of a cluster of rat poisoning cases in south-east Queensland .

Five people from the same geographic area presented to hospitals earlier in October with symptoms consistent with being exposed to brodifacoum, the active ingredient in rat poison.

Queensland Health began investigating any potential link or source, and on Friday night announced that of those five people, they were aware that three had consumed homemade unlabelled chilli paste products.

“These products are a homemade capsicum and chilli paste and a homemade marinated eggplant containing a capsicum and chilli paste,” Queensland Health said in a statement.

These product samples have tested positive for brodifacoum, the statement said.

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