Mum fears she found poisonous poppy pod in tin of peas bought at Tesco in Ramsgate
05:00, 05 May 2023
updated: 13:28, 05 May 2023
A mum is warning other shoppers after finding what she fears is a poisonous poppy pod in a tin of Tesco garden peas.
Marie Thomas got the can from the supermarket in Manston Road, Ramsgate, and was horrified by what was inside.
The 49-year-old told KentOnline: “It was my daughter who had bought them.
“She put them in her dinner and luckily noticed once it was all in the meal.”
She says she did an internet search and believes the rogue item in the tin was a poppy pod.
“They can be extremely poisonous,” she said.
Poppy seed pods have a milky white fluid inside which contains alkaloids.
These alkaloids are extremely toxic and can cause convulsions, asphyxiation, and even death.
The item was well disguised within the peas, due to its round shape and green colour.
Ms Thomas Ballard explained: “If you're not looking and aren't paying attention it could easily pass unnoticed.
“Someone vulnerable could easily put it in with their dinner and eat it.”
Her daughter Aimee threw the rest of the tin away before heading to Tesco to inform the store of their discovery.
The support worker recalled: “As soon as she noticed, she rang the head office and they said to return it to the store which we did the next day.
“The store said it could take six weeks, which is a long time for something to sit on their shelves.”
Ms Thomas-Was Ballard wants to see the product recalled.
‘They can be extremely poisonous...’
She said: “Just be safe, take it off the shelves.
“It’s a cheap product so it wouldn’t cost them a lot.
“It’s better to be safe than sorry.”
Poppy seed pods are green or brown in colour, and have a small, flat brown flower at the top
The Ramsgate mum wants to warn other shoppers to look out for the plants in their food.
‘It’s better to be safe than sorry...’
“Just be careful and watch out,” she said.
“Look at what you’ve got in front of you and be aware.”
Tesco is investigating with its supplier.
The peas are subject to thermal processing in the can which reduces the level of the active substances/toxicity present and they are commercially sterile.
