Quantifying Ergot Alkaloids in Food Using Newly Developed Stable Isotope-Labeled Standards
- Ergot alkaloids are a class of mycotoxins produced by fungi of the Claviceps genus, which are commonly found in contaminated cereals. Due to their toxic effects, the European Union introduced the first regulatory limit values for ergot alkaloids in food in 2022. Accurate quantification is crucial for food safety monitoring; however, the lack of stable isotopically labeled (SIL) standards has been a major limitation in the development of analytical methods via HPLC-MS/MS.
In order to overcome this challenge, all 12 priority ergot alkaloids were synthesized as 13CD3-labeled analogues for the first time and used as internal standards for mass spectrometry-based analysis. Using HPLC-MS/MS, we quantified ergot alkaloids in various food matrices, including bread, rye – and wheat flour, and bran. The performance of the SIL standards was evaluated by comparing results obtained using external calibration and standard addition approaches.
Our study demonstrates that the use of SIL standardsErgot alkaloids are a class of mycotoxins produced by fungi of the Claviceps genus, which are commonly found in contaminated cereals. Due to their toxic effects, the European Union introduced the first regulatory limit values for ergot alkaloids in food in 2022. Accurate quantification is crucial for food safety monitoring; however, the lack of stable isotopically labeled (SIL) standards has been a major limitation in the development of analytical methods via HPLC-MS/MS.
In order to overcome this challenge, all 12 priority ergot alkaloids were synthesized as 13CD3-labeled analogues for the first time and used as internal standards for mass spectrometry-based analysis. Using HPLC-MS/MS, we quantified ergot alkaloids in various food matrices, including bread, rye – and wheat flour, and bran. The performance of the SIL standards was evaluated by comparing results obtained using external calibration and standard addition approaches.
Our study demonstrates that the use of SIL standards significantly improves the accuracy and precision of ergot alkaloid quantification by correcting for matrix effects and signal variations in mass spectrometric analysis. The newly synthesized 13CD3-labeled ergot alkaloids provide a valuable tool for food safety assessments, ensuring more reliable and reproducible data. Furthermore, these findings support the advancement of analytical methods for ergot alkaloid monitoring, contributing to improved food quality control and regulatory compliance.…


| Autor*innen: | Sven-Oliver HerterORCiD |
|---|---|
| Koautor*innen: | Hajo Haase, Matthias KochORCiD |
| Dokumenttyp: | Vortrag |
| Veröffentlichungsform: | Präsentation |
| Sprache: | Englisch |
| Jahr der Erstveröffentlichung: | 2025 |
| Organisationseinheit der BAM: | 1 Analytische Chemie; Referenzmaterialien |
| 1 Analytische Chemie; Referenzmaterialien / 1.7 Organische Spuren- und Lebensmittelanalytik | |
| DDC-Klassifikation: | Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / Chemie / Analytische Chemie |
| Freie Schlagwörter: | Ergot alkaloids; Food Safety; HPLC-MS/MS; Metrology; Quality assurance; Reference Material; Stable isotope dilution analysis |
| Themenfelder/Aktivitätsfelder der BAM: | Chemie und Prozesstechnik |
| Chemie und Prozesstechnik / Chemische Charakterisierung und Spurenanalytik | |
| Veranstaltung: | 16th International Symposium on Biological and Environmental Reference Materials |
| Veranstaltungsort: | Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Beginndatum der Veranstaltung: | 01.06.2025 |
| Enddatum der Veranstaltung: | 04.06.2025 |
| Verfügbarkeit des Dokuments: | Datei im Netzwerk der BAM verfügbar ("Closed Access") |
| Datum der Freischaltung: | 17.06.2025 |
| Referierte Publikation: | Nein |
| Eingeladener Vortrag (wissenschaftliche Konferenzen): | Nein |

