 According to reports at the time, the flour had been contaminated by a fungus known as Claviceps Purpurea (ergot) which produces alkaloids similar to the hallucinogenic drug lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).Later investigations suggested mercury poisoning due to the use of Panogen or other fungicides used to treat grains and seeds.In 1982, a French researcher suggested "Aspergillus fumigatus", a toxic fungus produced in grain silos, as a potential culprit.