Method Development and Validation for the Determination of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in a Range of Plant-Based Foods and Honey Using LC-MS/MS
This application note describes an analytical method for the determination of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in a variety of food commodities (tea, herbs, spices, cumin seeds, and honey). Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids (PAs) are toxins exclusively biosynthesised by plants. Expressing both genotoxic and carcinogenic properties, an increasing number of reports reveal relatively high contaminations with PAs in food, herbal infusions, and teas. This application note describes an analytical method for the determination of PAs in a variety of food commodities (tea, herbs, spices, cumin seeds, and honey). Samples were extracted with a sulfuric acid solution, cleaned up using Oasis™ MCX SPE Cartridges, concentrated and resuspended prior to liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis.
