Poppy Seeds | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Poppy seeds are the dried mature seeds of Papaver somniferum L., used in bakery products, as a condiment or decoration on dishes, in cake fillings, and to produce edible oil. While the seeds themselves do not inherently contain opiate alkaloids, they may become surface-contaminated with opium alkaloids (morphine, codeine, thebaine) from the plant's latex during harvesting and post-harvest processing.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Poppy seeds may carry variable surface contamination of opiate alkaloids (morphine, codeine, thebaine) depending on cultivar, harvesting, and processing practices; EFSA established an acute reference dose (ARfD) of 10 µg morphine equivalents/kg body weight, which can be exceeded from a single large serving, particularly in children. The FDA does not advise consumers to generally avoid poppy-seed-containing foods but is actively reviewing industry practices and developing action-level guidance. Misuse in the form of concentrated 'poppy seed tea' has been linked to at least 11 reported deaths and carries serious risks of respiratory depression, dependence, and death.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Restricted	Commission Recommendation 2014/662/EU on good practices to prevent and reduce opium alkaloids in poppy seeds; mandates post-harvest cleaning and processing controls; seeds requiring additional treatment to reduce alkaloid content must be labelled accordingly.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Regulated under FSSAI Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011, Section 2.9.16 as 'Poppy (Khas Khas)'. Defined as dried mature seeds of Papaver somniferum L., white or greyish in colour; must be free from mould, insects, rodent contamination, added colouring matter, and other harmful substances. Maximum moisture 11.0%, extraneous matter ≤2.0%.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Under_review	FDA issued a Request for Information (RFI) on January 15, 2025, on industry practices to understand and control opiate alkaloid levels in poppy seeds. FDA has received 11 reports of deaths linked to misuse (poppy seed 'tea'). A Draft Guidance on Action Levels for Opiate Alkaloids on Poppy Seeds is listed in the 2025 FDA Human Foods Program Guidance Agenda. FDA does not advise consumers to avoid poppy-seed-containing foods in normal dietary use.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Pregnancy — EFSA (2018) specifically identifies pregnant women as a sensitive subgroup at higher risk of adverse morphine-like effects from opiate alkaloid-contaminated poppy seeds, even at lower exposure levels.

Infants — EFSA (2011, 2018) found that the ARfD for morphine equivalents can be exceeded from a single serving, with children—including infants—at particular risk; infants lack mature opioid-metabolising capacity.

Children — EFSA found that even moderate poppy-seed consumption (e.g., as condiment/decoration on bread) can cause ARfD exceedance in young children on some eating occasions; limit portion sizes.

Elderly — EFSA (2018) identifies people above 75 years of age as a sensitive subgroup more vulnerable to adverse effects of morphine from opiate alkaloid-contaminated poppy seeds.

Other — FDA warns that people taking CNS depressants (sedatives, alcohol) or antihypertensives face elevated risk of adverse opiate alkaloid effects from poppy seeds; misuse in the form of poppy seed 'tea' is life-threatening and should be strictly avoided by all.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011 – Chapter 2.9.16: Poppy (Khas Khas). fssai.gov.in
2other. Update on Opium Alkaloids in Food: Exploring Their Occurrence, Effect of Culinary Processing and Advances in Analytical Methodologies. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3FDA. Opiate Alkaloids on Poppy Seeds, 2025. fda.gov
4EFSA. Update of the Scientific Opinion on opium alkaloids in poppy seeds, 2018. efsa.europa.eu
5PubMed. Update of the Scientific Opinion on opium alkaloids in poppy seeds, 2018. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6EFSA. Scientific Opinion on the risks for public health related to the presence of opium alkaloids in poppy seeds, 2011. efsa.europa.eu

Independently researched6 citations