Seventeen girls of a primary school in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region have become sick after eating castor beans Thursday, local police said on Friday.

The girls of Laopeng primary school in Tian'e county, were stricken by nausea after accidentally eating the beans, said police.

They are receiving treatment at a local hospital and are in stable condition.

The incident is under investigation.

Castor beans are poisonous due to the presence of ricin, which can lead to organ failure or even death, according to the Adverse Drug Reactions Journal.