WARNING contaminated poppy seeds in Australia

[Tronica]

Also in a different supermarket I just seen a yellow warning sticker taped over the price tag of the seeds that reads:
Talk to department manager for further instructions before filling.
All product in first two supermarkets were removed

oh that's interesting. I guess the supermarkets deciding for themselves that this is a risk to them to stock it...

 

[Tronica]

Product recall just released.

Hoyts Poppy Seeds

www.foodstandards.gov.au

 

[Tronica]

Date published: 15 November 2022

Product information​

Hoyts Food Manufacturing Pty Ltd is conducting a recall of the below products. The products have been available for sale at Coles & Woolworths nationally.

Batch Codes:​

28622, 29322, 29822 & 29922

Problem​

The recall is due to the potential presence of a chemical (thebaine) due to unsafe poppy seeds entering the food supply.

Food safety hazard​

Food products containing thebaine may cause illness if consumed. Severe poisoning soon after ingestion has occurred in some people who have consumed large amounts of poppy seeds.

Country of origin​

Australia

What to do​

Consumers should not eat these products and should return to the place of purchase for a full refund and safe disposal. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice.

For further information please contact:

Hoyts Food Manufacturing Pty Ltd
03 9555 0539
www.hoytsfood.com.au

 

[draculic acid69]

Coles seems to have pulled all stock in two different cities.

 

[JessFR]

That pretty much sums up my bitter, disjointed rant, yes.

I'm honestly scared to even seek medical help for my habit, because I'm worried that it will affect the way doctors prescribe to me for the rest of my life.

Speaking for queensland I’m on the opioid treatment program and in my experience doctors have no idea if you’re on it unless you tell them. I dunno if they theoretically can check but for short term prescribing from what I’ve seen at least they don’t. I’ve gotten prescribed benzos and opioid painkillers since being on it. But both short term.

Been on nsw’s program too and I don’t recall them checking either, but I’ve had less experience with that so I’m less confident saying it.

 

[draculic acid69]

Earlier this afternoon someone I'm with cracked open a bag of seeds bought yesterday.was lighter colours with little bits of brown all through it (as described above) and it turned the water all yellow brown and tasted unusually bitter (as described above) at this point it was decided that the similarities were all too real and only 1/3 of the 60g cup was drunk.rest was tipped. Better to be safe I said.no Ill effects happened.this was bn 29322 and after this we looked at other stock on supermarket shelf and they were visually the same as jars on the shelf. Jars on shelf were bn 28622
stay safe everyone.

 

[Tronica]

Y

Earlier this afternoon someone I'm with cracked open a bag of seeds bought yesterday.was lighter colours with little bits of brown all through it (as described above) and it turned the water all yellow brown and tasted unusually bitter (as described above) at this point it was decided that the similarities were all too real and only 1/3 of the 60g cup was drunk.rest was tipped. Better to be safe I said.no Ill effects happened.this was bn 29322 and after this we looked at other stock on supermarket shelf and they were visually the same as jars on the shelf. Jars on shelf were bn 28622
stay safe everyone.

Yes, as per above Hoyts recall, all those batches are bad

 

[draculic acid69]

Speaking for queensland I’m on the opioid treatment program and in my experience doctors have no idea if you’re on it unless you tell them. I dunno if they theoretically can check but for short term prescribing from what I’ve seen at least they don’t. I’ve gotten prescribed benzos and opioid painkillers since being on it. But both short term.

Been on nsw’s program too and I don’t recall them checking either, but I’ve had less experience with that so I’m less confident saying it.

In Qld as of the last year they now are more into it than previously. My doctor could see that a different doctor wrote a script for me in a different city.both were prescribing me opioids.a doctor can see any medication prescribed by another doctor.whether or not this includes the Suboxone/methadone programs or private prescriptions
I don't know. This does not mean that a prescribing dr can see you seeked medical attention from a hospital by any means. If U need medical assistance do not worry that your dr will find out,call for medical assistance. I've needed an ambulance 3 times and never once did a regular gp have any clue until I told them.

 

[Kaden_Nite]

Despite the recall signs up, they still had seeds with those batch numbers. I tried to buy a couple of 100g packs - would like to have got a sample of the tainted ones just to get a look at any superficial differences in solution.

When I took them to the checkout, the screen came up with a recall warning which alerted two attendants. They hustled about me, checking the poorly printed batch numbers and said they were unable to sell them to me.

I got one pack with a different batch number, but the seeds looked identical to me.

At the moment, my advice is: just avoid this brand all together.

 

[Kaden_Nite]

Apparently, the bad seeds turn the water brown. This is something I've never really encountered. For a while, there were batches (same brand) that foamed up, which was off-putting.
The poorest quality seeds (regarding alkaloid-content) gave the water a greyish colour, much like the seeds themselves. This indicated, to me, very little latex. They also had zero effect.

Much more preferably and commonly, I'd get an opaque golden coloured liquid. Looks similar to a fruit juice.

Sometimes it is only a faint transparent liquid; like water with some lemon juice through it, but can still have a very morphinesque kick. Perhaps less latex, but much stronger latex.


Usually that brand get their seeds from Asia, but they may have got a batch of (possibly Tasmanian) 'Norman's Poppy' seeds. I'm not sure what Papaver Bracteatum or Papaver Orientale seeds look like, but if they appear similar to Papaver Somniferum seeds, maybe they could be the culprit?


Edit: I have noticed "dried poppy pods" available on an online marketplace recently. They are the elongated (rather than round) pods of Papaver Bracteatum and will not serve as a substitute for Somniferum seeds or pods. I've read that they too, are considered poisonous due to thebaine and thebaine-like alkaloid content.

 

[draculic acid69]

Despite the recall signs up, they still had seeds with those batch numbers. I tried to buy a couple of 100g packs - would like to have got a sample of the tainted ones just to get a look at any superficial differences in solution.

When I took them to the checkout, the screen came up with a recall warning which alerted two attendants. They hustled about me, checking the poorly printed batch numbers and said they were unable to sell them to me.

I got one pack with a different batch number, but the seeds looked identical to me.

At the moment, my advice is: just avoid this brand all together.

The seeds from 29322 looked very similar to jars of 28622. The health food store also had similar looking seeds. Not sure what brand they were or if they were a bad batch.

 

[draculic acid69]

Despite the recall signs up, they still had seeds with those batch numbers. I tried to buy a couple of 100g packs - would like to have got a sample of the tainted ones just to get a look at any superficial differences in solution.

When I took them to the checkout, the screen came up with a recall warning which alerted two attendants. They hustled about me, checking the poorly printed batch numbers and said they were unable to sell them to me.

I got one pack with a different batch number, but the seeds looked identical to me.

At the moment, my advice is: just avoid this brand all together.

The bad ones have little brown underdeveloped seeds along with a few different colours such as black, blue, dark blue & white in them. They look ordinary at first but upon closer inspection you will notice all the different colours.

 

[draculic acid69]

Also you think they'd take the affected ones off the shelf and put them aside

 

[Kaden_Nite]

Also you think they'd take the affected ones off the shelf and put them aside

This was Coles. The ink printing the batch number was kind of smudged and warped - difficult to read. It was only on their thorough inspection that they realised. They had a completely different batch number too, which they didn't mind selling, but I have a feeling they will all be recalled. Woolworths had removed them completely, even the price tags.

Do you know if Papaver Bracteatum seeds look similar?

 

[draculic acid69]

This was Coles. The ink printing the batch number was kind of smudged and warped - difficult to read. It was only on their thorough inspection that they realised. They had a completely different batch number too, which they didn't mind selling, but I have a feeling they will all be recalled. Woolworths had removed them completely, even the price tags.

Do you know if Papaver Bracteatum seeds look similar?

In the city north of you it was the other way around. Still in Woolies but not Coles.

 

[draculic acid69]

This was Coles. The ink printing the batch number was kind of smudged and warped - difficult to read. It was only on their thorough inspection that they realised. They had a completely different batch number too, which they didn't mind selling, but I have a feeling they will all be recalled. Woolworths had removed them completely, even the price tags.

Do you know if Papaver Bracteatum seeds look similar?

Don't know if the oriental or bractetum seeds look the same.
Where do the white Poppy Seeds come from? Pap somnif or a different variety.
As for the "norman strain" possibility I'm doubtful. Just read on Wikipedia that in 2017 world wide thebaine production went from 128000 tons /yr to just 2000tons/yr. So as of 2018 "Norman's" really became unnecessary and not just that but wouldn't a genetically engineered plants seeds be worth more as seedstock for growers rather than food. I'm also guessing that there a bit more expensive than regular seeds being as how there a gmo plant that probably isn't even available to the general public. Monsanto probably doesn't sell there GMO corns seeds to many ppl.
It's valuable proprietary technology. I'm guessing same goes for Norman's.

 

[Kaden_Nite]

Don't know if the oriental or bractetum seeds look the same.
Where do the white Poppy Seeds come from? Pap somnif or a different variety.
As for the "norman strain" possibility I'm doubtful. Just read on Wikipedia that in 2017 world wide thebaine production went from 128000 tons /yr to just 2000tons/yr. So as of 2018 "Norman's" really became unnecessary and not just that but wouldn't a genetically engineered plants seeds be worth more as seedstock for growers rather than food. I'm also guessing that there a bit more expensive than regular seeds being as how there a gmo plant that probably isn't even available to the general public. Monsanto probably doesn't sell there GMO corns seeds to many ppl.
It's valuable proprietary technology. I'm guessing same goes for Norman's.

Good point.. at the same time, maybe if they've got a crop of something the alkaloid company suddenly aren't buying, maybe they sell the seed to cut losses?

I can't find pictures of Bracteatum seeds, but that's another potential source. Not sure if they are grown commercially in any sizeable amount. I read that P. Orientale may be a subspecies of P. Bracteatum, and "all parts of the plant are considered poisonous".

 

[Kaden_Nite]

I always (apparently quite incorrectly) thought of thebaine as being rather weak. Maybe moderating the effects of other alkaloids in opium, and at most being unpleasant to consume on it's own or in high doses.

I've seen photos of the warning signs on the fences of Tasmanian poppy fields saying that the poppies are poison. I always thought that was just to keep hippies from setting up drum circles in the fields, didn't think thebaine was actually that toxic.

Even when travellers snuck in and made brews that ended badly for them, I figured it was just too much morphine.

I stand corrected, thebaine sounds fucking terrible.


Anyway, here is how much that brand's seeds vary:

Although the poor quality image here doesn't highlight the differences too well, the one on the left, common about a year ago (the grayscale batch); the seeds were grey and white and pretty much inactive. Maybe they were actually washed, maybe harshly roasted or from a farm that harvests the seeds at a time, or in a way that they make no contact with latex?

The middle one is what I consider standard. A mix of blue, grey, brown and black seeds. Dry, not sticky. Potency varies greatly. I'd say 10ppm morphine is fairly accurate.. but they can be significantly stronger, or weaker.

The seeds on the right; slightly smaller, solid black, sticky and formed clumps that actually made them a hassle to pour. These were considered potent. Around 15mg morphine per 100g bag, plus some codeine and other alkaloids (according to an analysis a doctor had done on a seed addict's brew when trying to set a benchmark for dosing a new suboxone patient).

This is how two washes of a standard 100g bag looks in solution:

I would have liked to have a direct comparison with the tainted batch, but the checkout ladies took them from me (which is fair enough).

 

[draculic acid69]

It appeared a darker yellowy brown

 

[Tronica]

So since I last attended this thread, Australian Food Standards have issued a recall for 5 different brands of poppy seeds. So it looks like the problem is at the wholesale level, with a wholesaler that was selling to multiple retail brands.

Below is an article published in Food Standards News today: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2022...t-for-food-chain-behind-australian-illnesses/

Poppy seeds not meant for human consumption are behind a number of poisonings in Australia, according to health officials.

Investigators found the non-food grade poppy seeds incorrectly entered the food supply chain. It is not clear how this happened. They are not intended for people to eat and are not safe to consume.

There have been 11 cases in Victoria, 12 in New South Wales and at least one South Australian is affected. People have also fallen sick in Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory.

Two Western Australians suffered severe reactions after ingesting large quantities of poppy seeds in tea. They have both since recovered. No cases have been reported in Tasmania but recalled products have been sold in the state.

Some batches of poppy seeds, when brewed into a concentrated form such as tea, have resulted in severe toxicity. There has been one case of cardiac arrest and two people are in intensive care. Some patients reported poppy seed tea had an unusual dark brown color and bitter taste.

Product recalls
The problem does not affect all poppy seeds. A number of recalls have been published by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) for poppy seeds from affected brands across Australia.

Hoyts Poppy Seeds, Gaganis Premium Australian Poppy Seed, East West Foods Wholesale Poppy Seeds, Basfoods International – Royal Fields Poppy Seeds, and Eumarrah Poppy Seeds are among recalled brands.

Officials said the supply chain is complex and an investigation to find out which brands and batches are affected is ongoing. They added consumers may wish to avoid poppy seeds purchased since September 2022.

The problem is due to high levels of the naturally occurring chemical thebaine in some batches of supermarket poppy seeds. It is not possible to tell which seeds have high thebaine content by looking at them. Poppy varieties rich in thebaine are used to produce medicines and are grown in Australia to supply the pharmaceutical industry.

Symptoms usually appear within minutes to hours and include seizures, severe stomach pain, and muscle spasms, cramps, or stiffness.

There have been no cases of poisoning in people who have eaten poppy seeds as part of baked food products.

Poisons information centers across the country can provide more information about what to do in suspected cases of poppy seed poisoning.