Abstract
The natural occurrence of six major ergot alkaloids, ergometrine, ergosine, ergotamine, ergocornine, ergokryptine and ergocristine, as well as their corresponding epimers, were investigated in 60 cereal samples (barley and wheat) from Algeria. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) and a QuEChERS extraction method were used for sample analysis. The results revealed that 12 out of 60 samples (20%) were contaminated with ergot alkaloids. Wheat was the most contaminated matrix, with an incidence of 26.7% (8 out of 30 samples). The concentration of total ergot alkaloids ranged from 17.8 to 53.9 µg/kg for barley and from 3.66 to 76.0 μg/kg for wheat samples. Ergosine, ergokryptine and ergocristine showed the highest incidences in wheat, while ergometrine was the most common ergot in barley.
Highlights
Ergot alkaloids (EAs) are mycotoxins produced by different fungi of the Clavicipitaceae family, such as Claviceps purpurea, Claviceps paspali and Claviceps fusiformis, which are prevalent in cereals such as rye, wheat, barley, millet, triticale and oat [1]
The results concluded that there is no risk linked with the ergot alkaloids intake through the consumption of barley and wheat in Algeria, since the levels of the PDI obtained are far below the tolerable daily intake (TDI) proposed by the EFSA
The present study reported the first data about the presence of 12 EAs in cereals from Algeria
Summary
Ergot alkaloids (EAs) are mycotoxins produced by different fungi of the Clavicipitaceae family, such as Claviceps purpurea, Claviceps paspali and Claviceps fusiformis, which are prevalent in cereals such as rye, wheat, barley, millet, triticale and oat [1]. Sclerotia are collected together with cereals, so they can cause contamination of cerealbased foods with EA, and their ingestion can cause ergotism, a mycotoxicosis known since ancient times. Ergotism has been almost eradicated as a human disease, some cases have been reported recently in France, India and Ethiopia [2,6,7]. It remains an important veterinary issue [2,8]. An increase of EA contamination in cereals and cereal-based products is being observed due to new cereal hybrids susceptible to C. purpurea [9] and climate changes [10]
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