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LC–MS/MS analysis of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in bee bread and commercial pollen from Brazil

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Abstract

Beehive products, particularly pollen, are among the foodstuffs that may contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), prompting concern due to their negative effects on humans, such as hepatotoxic potential. Based on these aspects, this study represents the first investigation into eight PAs present in samples of bee bread (n = 16) and commercial pollens (n = 15) from Brazil utilizing liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry in tandem. Our findings showed the presence of at least two PAs in all samples analyzed (n = 31), with monocrotaline, senecionine, senecionine N-oxide, and retrorsine emerging as the most frequently abundant in the Brazilian samples. The PAs sum varied widely (from 268 to 263,849 µg kg−1), with 77.4% of the samples exceeding the maximum limit established by the European Union (500 µg kg−1). Therefore, this study demonstrates that bee pollen and bee bread are foods with high levels of PAs and highlights that further studies related to PAs and beehive products are necessary so that actions are taken to minimize risks to consumers and safeguard the beekeeping industry.

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Funding

The authors would like to thank Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brazil (Finance code 001), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e Inovação do Estado de Santa Catarina (No. 88887.178578/2018-00), and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – Brazil (No. 150058/2021-7, No. 309702/2022-4, No. 152333/2022-3).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Admar Gonzaga 1346, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, 88034-001, Brazil

    Siluana Katia Tischer Seraglio, Patricia Brugnerotto, Carolina Turnes Pasini Deolindo, Bianka de Oliveira Santana, Luciano Valdemiro Gonzaga & Ana Carolina Oliveira Costa

  2. Department of Science and Agroindustrial Technology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande Do Sul, 96160‑000, Brazil

    Patricia Brugnerotto

  3. Federal Agricultural Defense Laboratory, Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply, Sao José, Santa Catarina, 91780-580, Brazil

    Carolina Turnes Pasini Deolindo & Rodrigo Barcellos Hoff

  4. Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Company of Santa Catarina - Santa Catarina Environmental Resources and Hydrometeorology Information Center, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, 88034-901, Brazil

    Everton Blainski & Denilson Dortzbach

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  1. Siluana Katia Tischer Seraglio
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  2. Patricia Brugnerotto
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Correspondence to Siluana Katia Tischer Seraglio or Ana Carolina Oliveira Costa.

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Seraglio, S.K.T., Brugnerotto, P., Deolindo, C.T.P. et al. LC–MS/MS analysis of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in bee bread and commercial pollen from Brazil. Eur Food Res Technol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-024-04573-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-024-04573-1

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