EFSA: foods containing poppy seeds may lead to health risks

The consumption of food containing poppy seeds can lead to health risks, according to a new report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Poppy seeds do not contain opium alkaloids, but they may be contaminated with the sap of the poppy plant, due to either pest or harvesting damage .

In order to assess the health risks, the EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) determined a health-based guidance value, known as the acute reference dose (ARfD).

The ARfD represents the intake level above which food containing poppy seeds can lead to health risks and the value was determined as 10µg of morphine per kg of body weight.

According to the panel, even if consumers occasionally have foods containing large amounts of poppy seeds, the ARfD value is likely to increase, and if poppy seeds are consumed as a condiment or decoration in bread and fine bakeryware, it will increase among vulnerable populations such as young children.

The primary opium alkaloid in poppy seeds is morphine along with lower levels of codeine, thebaine, noscapine and papaverine, and the most prominent side effects linked to the medical use of morphine and codeine are drowsiness and breathing difficulties.

The panel stated that the food processing techniques such as washing, soaking, grinding and cooking may reduce the opium alkaloid content present in poppy seeds by up to about 90%.