Man says he failed drug test after eating Tesco poppy seed bread

A man claims he didn’t pass a drug test for a new job he applied to after eating a few slices of his favorite Tesco poppy seed bread.

His sister, who hasn’t been named, was shocked and explained that she had given him four slices of bread to make some sandwiches before his interview.

In an interview with Plymouth Live,  she said that he had a drug test that noted he had opium in his system— although he hadn’t taken any medication and is fearful of “drugs and painkillers.”

“Poppy seeds caused him to fail his drugs test. As he failed, he didn’t get the job no matter how much convincing he tried...” the outlet reported per her social media account, further telling the cautionary tale about what happened to her sibling.

After, they claimed that the bread was the cause of the failed drug test.

As evidenced in medical journals, poppy seed bread and other foods can cause this to happen.

That’s because poppy seeds, which don’t contain opium right away, can absorb opium through the seeds or become coated in the harvesting process.

According to Healthline, poppy seeds go through a cleaning process before being put on the market and can still have traces of opiates.

“Studies show that opiates can be detected as soon as two hours after eating a poppy seed cake or poppy seed bagels,” the Healthline article reads.

“We work closely with our suppliers to make sure that they source from low opiate varieties, and that they follow the guidance developed by the EU and UK to minimise the levels present as far as possible through good practice from harvesting onwards,” a Tesco representative told Indy100.

They also said that they ensure “suppliers are working to the limits advised in the EU and UK and monitor that they remain below this to make sure that they are safe to eat.”

However, in MedicalNewsToday, several factors can affect food processing methods, which can also impact the amount of opium left in the opium seeds.

Poppy seeds can cause a person to fail a drug test by testing positive for morphine. Morphine is an opiate derived from opium in poppies. Other drugs derived from opium include codeine and heroin,” MedicalNewsToday wrote.

They also note that the poppy seeds come from the opium poppy plant but don’t contain opium. The harvesting process is where seeds can encounter opium.

“The method of food preparation also plays a role. Baked goods typically contain less morphine (and codeine) than unbaked products because baking destroys these substances,” MedicalNewsToday continued.

indy100 reached out to Tesco for further comment.