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Poisonous poppy seeds have despatched various folks 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 frequent pantry merchandise.
We work for 2 main poisons info providers (New South Wales and Queensland), the place we’ve been advising and caring for folks with poppy seed poisoning. There have additionally been circumstances in Victoria, Australian Capital Territory, South Australia and Western Australia.
To date, there have been round 32 circumstances of poppy seed toxicity reported in Australia over the previous month, all in adults.
This is what we find out about what’s behind these circumstances and what it’s essential do in the event you’ve consumed poppy seeds just lately, or have poppy seeds in your kitchen cabinets.
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How may these poppy seeds be harmful?
The poppy seeds concerned within the newest nationwide recall are non-food grade seeds that aren’t supposed for human consumption and will not be secure to devour. Investigations are below method to decide how non-food grade seeds ended up within the retailers.
Food-grade poppy seeds – the kind that you just’d often see sprinkled on cake or bread – will not be harmful.
Poppy seeds come from the poppy plant Papaver somniferum. This plant produces various chemical substances known as alkaloids. Some, like morphine and codeine, have been used medicinally for 1000’s of years to deal with ache and different situations.
Poppy seeds come from the plant Papaver somniferum and are used to make medicines, in addition to meals merchandise.
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Other naturally occurring poppy alkaloids – resembling 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.
Different kinds of poppy crops comprise totally different quantities of those alkaloids.
Some have very low quantities, which are usually used to supply food-grade poppy seeds. Varieties with increased quantities are used to supply medicines, resembling morphine and codeine.
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What occurred just lately then?
The non-food grade poppy seeds that incorrectly entered the human meals provide comprise excessive quantities of the alkaloid thebaine.
Thebaine has very totally different results to morphine. In massive doses it causes extreme and extended muscle cramps, spasms, seizures and cardiac arrests, as seen within the latest cluster of poisonings.
High concentrations of thebaine have been recognized within the blood of affected folks on this newest cluster.
To our data, that is the primary time that thebaine has entered the meals chain in Australia. However, there are a few studies of people that have had extreme toxicity after consuming non-food grade poppy seeds in latest many years.
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How many poppy seeds are we speaking about?
All reported circumstances within the present cluster on the time of the recall occurred after folks consumed poppy seeds as a part of a drink – much like a brewed tea.
Most folks had consumed greater than 100g poppy seeds (about 11 tablespoons). Although, 50g (5-6 tablespoons) could also be enough to trigger poisoning. Thebaine can construct up within the physique in the event you ingest it a number of occasions over the identical day.
There have been no studies thus far of individuals being poisoned after consuming poppy seeds in baked items. However, the investigation is ongoing. Owing to the character of the contamination, we’d suggest avoiding poppy seeds from affected manufacturers in any kind.
Most circumstances have been in individuals who had consumed massive quantities of poppy seed.
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What if I’ve poppy seeds at dwelling?
The non-food grade poppy seeds we’re presently involved about probably entered the meals provide up to now two months. So, in the event you purchased poppy seeds earlier than September 2022, these are more likely to be secure.
If you’ve purchased poppy seeds up to now two months and these are listed as a part of the nationwide recall, it’s possible you’ll be in danger.
You can throw them within the bin or return them to the place you purchased them for a refund.
What if I’ve eaten poppy seeds or drunk the tea?
If you or somebody you realize 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 Information Centre for recommendation (particulars beneath).
If you’ve consumed poppy seeds greater than 4 hours in the past and you’re feeling advantageous, you could be reassured. That’s as a result of these poisoning signs usually occur shortly, inside 4 hours.
If you’ve consumed a lot of poppy seeds as a drink, particularly from an affected batch of seeds, up to now 4 hours, go to the emergency division no matter signs.
If this text raises well being issues for you or for somebody you realize about consuming poppy seeds, name the Poisons Information Centre from anyplace in Australia on 131 126. This evidence-base recommendation is out there 24 hours a day. For life-threatening signs, name 000.
Darren Roberts is the Medical Director of the NSW Poisons Information Centre and a medical Toxicologist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney.
Jared Brown is a Senior Poisons Specialist in Toxicovigilance at NSW Poisons Information Centre.
Katherine Isoardi is the Director of the Clinical Toxicology Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, and Medical Director of Queensland Poisons Information Centre, Queensland Children’s Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
