The present manuscript reports on monitoring data of 12 ergot alkaloids (EAs) in cerealand cereal-derived products, collected in Italy over the period 2017-2020, for official control purposesunder the edge of the Commission Recommendation 2012/154/EU on the monitoring ofthe presence of EAs in feed and food. To these purposes, an LC-MS/MS method was set up andapplied, after in-house verification of its analytical performance. Besides satisfactory recoveries andprecision, the method's quantification limits proved suitable to assess the compliance of cereals andcereal-based foods with the recently issued EU maximum permitted levels (Commission Regulation2021/1399/EU). The validity of the generated data was also evaluated through the adoption of fourproficiency tests, from which acceptable z-score values (-2 < z < 2) were obtained. The methodwas then applied to analyse a total of 67 samples, collected in Italy over the period 2017-2020. Thesamples consisted of 18 cereal grains, 16 flours (14 of wheat and 2 of spelt) and 31 other types ofcereals derivatives (including 9 for infants). Overall, the EAs analysis returned a high percentageof left-censored data (>86%). Among the positive samples, the highest contamination levels, up to94.2 ug/kg, were found for ergocristine (12% incidence), followed by ergocristinine (7% incidence)with levels of up to 48.3 ug/kg.

Undertaking a new regulatory challenge: monitoring of ergot alkaloids in Italian food commodities

Veronica Maria Teresa Lattanzio;Biancamaria Ciasca;
2021

Abstract

The present manuscript reports on monitoring data of 12 ergot alkaloids (EAs) in cerealand cereal-derived products, collected in Italy over the period 2017-2020, for official control purposesunder the edge of the Commission Recommendation 2012/154/EU on the monitoring ofthe presence of EAs in feed and food. To these purposes, an LC-MS/MS method was set up andapplied, after in-house verification of its analytical performance. Besides satisfactory recoveries andprecision, the method's quantification limits proved suitable to assess the compliance of cereals andcereal-based foods with the recently issued EU maximum permitted levels (Commission Regulation2021/1399/EU). The validity of the generated data was also evaluated through the adoption of fourproficiency tests, from which acceptable z-score values (-2 < z < 2) were obtained. The methodwas then applied to analyse a total of 67 samples, collected in Italy over the period 2017-2020. Thesamples consisted of 18 cereal grains, 16 flours (14 of wheat and 2 of spelt) and 31 other types ofcereals derivatives (including 9 for infants). Overall, the EAs analysis returned a high percentageof left-censored data (>86%). Among the positive samples, the highest contamination levels, up to94.2 ug/kg, were found for ergocristine (12% incidence), followed by ergocristinine (7% incidence)with levels of up to 48.3 ug/kg.
2021
Istituto di Scienze delle Produzioni Alimentari - ISPA
ergot alkaloids
LC-MS/MS method
wheat
cereal products
occurrence
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Descrizione: Undertaking a New Regulatory Challenge: Monitoring of Ergot Alkaloids in Italian Food Commodities
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14243/413253
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