Toxic poppy seeds are sending people to hospital. What's behind the latest food scare?
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Toxic poppy seeds have despatched a lot of individuals round Australia to hospital with extreme signs—from muscle cramping and spasms to seizures and cardiac arrests—prompting a nationwide recall of sure batches and types of this widespread pantry merchandise.

We work for 2 main poisons data providers (New South Wales and Queensland), the place now we have been advising and caring for individuals with poppy seed poisoning. There have additionally been instances in Victoria, Australian Capital Territory, South Australia and Western Australia.

Thus far, there have been round 32 instances of poppy seed toxicity reported in Australia over the previous month, all in adults.

That is what we find out about what’s behind these instances and what you have to do in case you’ve consumed poppy seeds just lately, or have poppy seeds in your kitchen cabinets.

How might these poppy seeds be harmful?

The poppy seeds concerned within the newest nationwide recall are non-food grade seeds that aren’t meant for human consumption and usually are not secure to devour. Investigations are beneath solution to decide how non-food grade seeds ended up within the outlets.

Meals-grade poppy seeds—the kind that you simply’d normally see sprinkled on cake or bread—usually are not harmful.

Poppy seeds come from the poppy plant Papaver somniferum. This plant produces a lot of chemical substances known as alkaloids. Some, like morphine and codeine, have been used medicinally for hundreds of years to deal with ache and different circumstances.

Different naturally occurring poppy alkaloids—equivalent to thebaine, noscapine, laudanosine and papaverine—are less-well described when it comes to their results on people, however they’ll have a variety of poisonous results.

Totally different forms of poppy crops include completely different quantities of those alkaloids.

Some have very low quantities, which are typically used to supply food-grade poppy seeds. Varieties with increased quantities are used to supply medicines, equivalent to morphine and codeine.

What occurred just lately then?

The non-food grade poppy seeds that incorrectly entered the human meals provide include excessive quantities of the alkaloid thebaine.

Thebaine has very completely different results to morphine. In massive doses it causes extreme and extended muscle cramps, spasms, seizures and cardiac arrests, as seen within the current cluster of poisonings.

Excessive concentrations of thebaine have been recognized within the blood of affected individuals on this newest cluster.

To our data, that is the primary time that thebaine has entered the meals chain in Australia. Nevertheless, there are a few reviews of people that have had extreme toxicity after consuming non-food grade poppy seeds in current a long time.

What number of poppy seeds are we speaking about?

All reported instances within the present cluster on the time of the recall occurred after individuals consumed poppy seeds as a part of a drink—much like a brewed tea.

Most individuals had consumed greater than 100g poppy seeds (about 11 tablespoons). Though, 50g (5-6 tablespoons) could also be enough to trigger poisoning. Thebaine can construct up within the physique in case you ingest it a number of instances over the identical day.

There have been no reviews thus far of individuals being poisoned after consuming poppy seeds in baked items. Nevertheless, the investigation is ongoing. Owing to the character of the contamination, we might advocate avoiding poppy seeds from affected manufacturers in any kind.

What if I’ve poppy seeds at residence?

The non-food grade poppy seeds we’re presently involved about seemingly entered the meals provide previously two months. So, in case you purchased poppy seeds earlier than September 2022, these are more likely to be secure.

When you’ve purchased poppy seeds previously two months and these are listed as a part of the nationwide recall, chances are you’ll be in danger.

You possibly can throw them within the bin or return them to the place you obtain them for a refund.

What if I’ve eaten poppy seeds or drunk the tea?

When you or somebody develops the next signs after consuming poppy seeds, search pressing medical help by calling triple zero:

  • extreme muscle cramping, muscle spasms and irregular actions
  • seizures
  • collapses or is unresponsive.

If signs are gentle, otherwise you’re unsure if these are due to consuming poppy seeds, name the Poisons Data Centre for recommendation (particulars under).

When you’ve consumed poppy seeds greater than 4 hours in the past and you’re feeling wonderful, you may be reassured. That is as a result of these poisoning signs sometimes occur shortly, inside 4 hours.

When you’ve consumed numerous poppy seeds as a drink, particularly from an affected batch of seeds, previously 4 hours, go to the emergency division no matter signs.

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