China shuts 35 restaurants over us of opium poppies as seasoning

Some 35 restaurants across China have been found illegally using opium poppies as seasoning, one of the more unusual practices being investigated by the country’s food regulators.

Five restaurants are being prosecuted while 30 others, ranging from Shanghai dumpling joints to noodle shops in southwestern Chongqing, are under investigation, said the China Food and Drug Administration.

Cases of cooks sprinkling ground poppy powder, which contains low amounts of opiates like morphine and codeine, in soup and seafood are not new in China, though it is unclear whether they can effectively hook a customer or deliver a noticeable buzz.