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04.10.2017 - Chemical tests
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in food – Tentamus laboratories perform this analysis for you!
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) are secondary plant substances, produced by plants such as ragwort, groundsel, or viper's bugloss to defend against herbivores. Relevant foods for the intake of pyrrolizidine alkaloids are herbal tea, rooibos tea, black and green tea, and honey. In teas, contamination of the raw materials with wild herbs occurs during harvest. In Germany, contaminations of salads with ragwort and groundsel are observed. For honey, certain wild plants from which bees collect pollen are the source of contamination. Other animal foods such as meat, cheese, or eggs are not contaminated.
So far, over 660 different pyrrolizidine alkaloid structures are known, among which substances with a 1,2-unsaturated structure are classified as harmful to health. The harmful effect is mainly exerted on the liver and lungs, and the compounds are also considered carcinogenic. An assessment of pyrrolizidine alkaloid levels in foods by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment has shown that the quantities of 1,2-unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids found in foods can be harmful to health for children and adults over long-term consumption. However, there is no acute health risk.
Since there are no legal maximum levels for pyrrolizidine alkaloids in foods, the EU's so-called "ALARA principle" applies. According to this principle, levels should be minimized as far as reasonably achievable. A fundamental requirement for this is care in the cultivation and harvesting of plants for tea production as well as salads, leafy vegetables, and herbs. At the processing level, sufficient controls must be carried out and the cause of high levels investigated. Regarding honey, a selective choice of raw honeys can contribute to a reduction in levels. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment advises rigorously applying the corresponding recommendations of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
Through the network in the Tentamus Laboratory Group, BAV offers pyrrolizidine alkaloid testing in foods. For this analysis, we have highly qualified partner laboratories such as QSI in Bremen.
Further information can be found in the questions and answers on pyrrolizidine alkaloids in foods by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (as of 09/25/2017) www.bfr.bund.de
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