It’s not a myth—eating poppy seeds can cause a false positive result for opiates on a urine drug test.
Most poppy seed batches contain a wide range of morphine levels. The amount of poppy seeds you need to consume to cause a false positive for morphine or codeine depends on the country of origin and baking technique. [1]
However, if you eat poppy seeds, morphine may be able to be detected in your urine for up to 2 days. [1]
Consuming poppy seeds can make you test positive for opiates, such as codeine or morphine, on a drug test.
Opiates like heroin, morphine, and codeine come from the seed pods of poppy plants grown in Asia, Mexico, and Columbia. These same seed pods produce small, black, nut-flavored seeds used in cooking. If you eat something with poppy seeds, you could “fail” your test or have a false positive for opiates.
Opioids come from the milky substance inside the seed pods, and seeds can get coated with this fluid during processing. The seeds themselves aren’t drugs, but they can get contaminated by drug-like liquids.
Poppy seeds are washed and thermally processed before they enter the food chain, and that procedure can reduce contamination levels. Even so, most seeds have some tiny bits of coating left, and that’s allowed per safety authorities.
In Europe, for example, 10μg of morphine per kilogram of body weight is considered a safe level of morphine in food products.[2] That could be enough for you to test positive on a urine drug test.
When you consume poppy seeds, opiates like morphine can be detected in urine drug tests for up to 48 hours.[1]
And poppy seeds can cause a positive test result as soon as 2 hours after eating them.
Experts say more than 90% of opium is removed during seed processing.[4] But the amount left behind can vary quite a bit.
Your opium levels could be higher due to the following:
Food testing authorities can’t predict how many poppy seeds you can eat to produce a clear urine test.[4] Instead, they recommend that people with test dates avoid eating potentially troublesome foods.
Food testing authorities can’t predict how many poppy seeds you can eat to produce a clear urine test.[4] Instead, they recommend that people with test dates avoid eating potentially troublesome foods.
Poppy seeds are easy to spot in foods like bagels, bread, and other pastries. If you can see dark, black specs in anything you’re about to eat, stop and think. Your meal could impact your test results.
A single teaspoon of poppy seeds can produce an opiate concentration of 1,200 ng/ml, which is large enough for you to fail some tests. But other organizations, including the National Institute on Drug Abuse, look for concentrations of 2,000 or higher.[5]
A single teaspoon of poppy seeds can produce an opiate concentration of 1,200 ng/ml, which is large enough for you to fail some tests. But other organizations, including the National Institute on Drug Abuse, look for concentrations of 2,000 or higher.[5]
All poppy-seed-containing foods can lead to false positive test results.[6] And the seeds could be included in more foods than you thought possible.
You’ll typically find the seeds in or on foods like these:
You may also find poppy seeds in foods and products like these:
Don’t rely on your eyes or the ingredient list alone. People have failed drug tests due to eating bread with inaccurate ingredient lists.[7] Be careful about everything you consume before a urine drug screening.
If you eat poppy seeds regularly, the best thing to do is stop. Eradicate these foods from your diet for several days — and up to a week — before your urine drug test.
If you receive what you think is a false positive result due to poppy seeds, talk to your doctor, the lab that ordered the test, or your employer. Explain the situation and ask to retake the test.
Peter Manza, PhD received his BA in Psychology and Biology from the University of Rochester and his PhD in Integrative Neuroscience at Stony Brook University. He is currently working as a research scientist in Washington, DC. His research focuses on the role of the brain dopamine system in substance use disorders and in aging. He also studies brain function in obesity and eating disorders.
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