Since 2005, the official food surveillance in Baden-Wurttemberg (Germany) has continously been analysing the contents of opiate alkaloids in poppy seeds and foods made thereof. Ready-made bodies, poppy seeds from bakeries, and poppy seeds dedicated directly to the consumer were investigated. In 2005 opiate contents especially morphine were high enough to cause adverse health effects in several cases, whereas average findings in 2006 were somewhat lower. 76% of the 110 samples exceeded the guidance value of 4 mg morphine/kg poppy seed proposed by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), but less than 30% showed a higher content than 20 mg/kg, a value estimated as tolerable by the BfR, if warning notices are given. All of the poppy ready-mixes fell below the guidance value of the BfR. Poppy seeds from bakeries averaged higher values than those for the consumers' sale. When the guidance value was derived, the well-known decomposition characteristics o the alkaloids during technological processes (like grinding, heating, etc.) were not taken into account. For this reason, poppy seeds with higher morphine contents for commercial further processing have not to be considered as crucial, as long as the producer of poppy foods is able to ensure the compliance of his product with the guidance value. In contrast, the situation concerning poppy seeds for the consumers' sale is not yet satisfactory, since 28% of the respective samples showed higher morphine contents than 20 mg/kg. Because recommendations for alkaloid reducing measurements often are not followed, these samples had to be judged as unsafe and therefore objectionable