German researchers found in buns with poppy seeds an increased content of morphine and thebaine. Experts report "frighteningly high concentrations." The narcotic effect of poppy buns is not excluded. The poppy used was delivered mainly from Australia, but in Russia, "poor-quality" buns were also repeatedly found.
Not suitable for human consumption.
Poppy rolls made from Australian poppy may contain alarmingly high levels of morphine and thebaine.
According to the information, morphine concentrations in 4 samples of poppy seed buns were so high that the samples were rated as “unfit for consumption”.
The effect of the buns cannot be ruled out. 3 of these samples were made using Australian poppies. Therefore, if symptoms of poisoning appear, doctors recommend going to the hospital.
Pharmaceutical Poppy Seeds
According to experts, poppy crops in Australia cover a large part of the global market for opioids for the production of drugs. In Australia, poppy varieties are cultivated, which are very rich in morphine and thebaine. In addition to morphine, thebaine was also included in a series of poppy seed bun samples.
Thebaine is a substance from opium poppy, which so far has received little attention due to insufficient toxicological studies.
"Opiate-rich poppy plants grown for medical purposes should not be used in the food industry," Rospotrebnadzor reports.
For cost reasons, some bakers import contaminated poppy from Australia. Therefore, they can produce cheaper poppy seed buns - and harm the consumer in case of improper processing.
Researchers have also found high thebaine levels. Tebaine can cause severe muscle cramps, especially in young children.
Danger for some groups of people.
In 2011, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a scientific opinion. According to research, the consumption of poppy seed-containing foods can cause frustration for some consumer groups.
According to experts, the so-called "acute toxic dose" of morphine in a 15-pound child is exceeded by 200% with 1 bun.
This means that the child can already take 2/3 of the dose of morphine, which is considered in the field of human medicine as an effective dose to relieve severe pain.
Contribution to consumer safety
Discussions are underway in the relevant EU bodies to establish the maximum levels of morphine in poppy seeds. According to CVUA, setting the maximum level for morphine and other opiates in poppy seeds certainly makes sense.
Scientific evidence shows that setting the maximum level of opiate content in products cannot make a significant contribution to consumer safety. Tighter control of poppy suppliers is required.
Have such incidents been recorded in Russia?
In the Russian Federation, GOST is in force, which prescribes the maximum content of narcotic substances. None of the foreign suppliers cleans poppy products to the requirements of GOST.
Sometimes foreign poppy products contain significant amounts of morphine and thebaine.
Until 2010, 3% of impurities in poppy-containing products were allowed. The impurities are mainly narcotic substances. Since 2010, the content of psychotropic substances is not allowed in any poppy product.
In 2009, the Federal Drug Control Service discovered 5 kg of poppy containing 9 grams of straw from which it is possible to make a drug. In 2012, an entrepreneur who was suspected of trafficking in drugs on an especially large scale was arrested. The content of morphine and thebaine in buns also exceeded all permissible limits.
Is it worth eating poppy seed buns?
The substance contained in the poppy has an analgesic, and sometimes even euphoric, effect. In the studied buns, up to 6250 micrograms of morphine per kilogram of the total sample was contained. If the baby ate such a bun, he could simply die.
Young children and sensitive people are not recommended to eat poppy seed buns. To achieve a narcotic effect, a child needs significantly lower doses than an adult.
