Sarah Sorscher, J.D., MPH, Deputy Director of Regulatory Affairs, Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Food Sleuth Radio

Did you know that poppy seeds used in baking come from the same plant that produces opiates, including morphine and codeine? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Sarah Sorscher, J.D., MPH, Deputy Director of Regulatory Affairs, Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Sorscher explains that the poppy plant cannot be legally grown in the United States, so all poppy seeds sold in this country are imported. While the seeds themselves contain negligible amounts of opiates, they can be contaminated with plant debris and require washing and processing to reduce opiate contamination to safe levels. Not all importers adequately process their seeds, and some sellers even market poppy seeds as “unwashed” or “unprocessed,” to convey that they have high levels of opiates to consumers who may purchase the seeds to brew poppy seed tea, which can be fatal.
Related website: https://cspinet.org/sites/default/files/attachment/Contaminated_Poppy_Fact_Sheet_1-13-2021.pdf