Famous Chinese Restaurants Under Investigation For Using Opium Poppies As Seasoning On Their Dishes

China's Food and Drug Agency (CFDA) sued a total of 35 restaurants all over China. They are alleged of using opium powder as a food seasoning on the food they are serving. 

According to Pop Herald, opium is a drug that may cause addiction and serious harm to health if abused that is why it was banned in China since 2013. Cooks of different restaurants in China had been alleged of using opium powder containing small amounts of codeine and morphine on their dishes. They are still trying to figure out if this behavior makes the customer want some more or if it is the reason why customers tend to patronize their food.

Moreover, CFDA reported that 30 out of 35 restaurants were under investigation and the other five faced the prosecution after the agency found out that they are sprinkling opium poppies on the menu they are serving. Luo Yunbo, a food safety and nutrition professor at China Agricultural University claimed that there are a lot of restaurants in China that is why it is very difficult to monitor that they all abide the law.

Previously, almost 215 restaurants were forced to close in 2004 for the same charges while seven of them were shut down again for this practice in 2012.

Furthermore, according to Digital Journal, the opium powder, which costs around $60 per kilo can be bought from Western China. The opium is often combined with chili oils and other powders so that it would not be easily detected. It is sometimes seasoned and stirred into soups and seafood meals.

In lieu with this matter, the administration called the attention of the CFDA to punish those restaurants involved and intensify the inspection and supervision among restaurants that sell meals such as fried chicken, noodles and hot pots as posted on The Straits Times. They also considered cooperating with the public security departments to find the sources of the said opium poppies.