Determination of Opium Alkaloid Content in Poppy Seeds Using Liquid Chromatography Coupled with a Mass Spectrometer with a Time-of-Flight Analyzer (UPLC-TOF-HRMS)

Abstract

Opium poppy is a plant used in both the pharmaceutical and food industries. Substances found on the surface of dry poppy seeds belong to the group of opium alkaloids. However, the presence of these substances in food products poses a risk to consumer health, which is why new permissible levels for both substances in poppy seeds and derivative products have been introduced in Regulation (EU) 2023/915. This research aimed to analyze the content of all six opium alkaloids in poppy seeds provided directly by producers as well as those available on the local market in Poland. The research confirmed the presence of morphine in all examined poppy seed samples. The alkaloid content ranged from 12.46 to 102.86 mg/kg for seeds purchased in local markets and from 1.1 to 110.1 mg/kg for seeds obtained directly from producers. Both groups showed similar levels of morphine content as well as other OAs, which significantly exceeded the permissible limit of 20 mg/kg set by the European Commission (EU) 2023/915. These results indicate that the presence of morphine and other opium alkaloids in poppy seeds exceeds permissible levels, posing a serious health issue and necessitating further research and improvement in processing methods.