It is shown that poppy (Papaver rhoeas L.) seed is a potentially interesting and unique pore-forming agent (PFA) for use in ceramic technology, due to its large size (around 1mm), narrow size distribution, constant shape (kidney-like), appropriate density and easy availability. Porous alumina ceramics have been produced using commercially available poppy seed in combination with a new ceramic shaping technique called starch consolidation casting. After shaping and drying the ceramic green bodies were fired at 1570°C with a heating rate of 2°C/min, resulting in porous alumina bodies with a bulk density of 2.50±0.03g/cm 3 , a total porosity of 37.6±0.8% (open porosity 32.4±0.9%, closed porosity 5.2±0.3%) and a linear shrinkage of 14.1±0.2%. As expected, the pore size exhibits a bimodal distribution, corresponding closely to the original size of the pore-forming agents.