Analysis of rye grains and rye meals for ergot alkaloids

Due to the exceptionally hot and dry summer in 2003 the ergot of that harvest was rather small and could only be separated from normal grain with increased efforts. Based on a clean-up procedure of Wolffet al. (1) and of Kluget al. (2), a HPLC-FLD-method for the determination of 12 ergot alkaloids (6 "In"-, 6 "Inin"-forms) was established and modified. Actually reference substances are commercially available only for 5 selected alkaloids. Because of the instability of the alkaloids a new standard preparation procedure was tested and implemented. The maximum allowed impurity with ergot (0.05%=1000 μg alkaloids/kg) was exceeded in samples of harvest 2003. Except for one sample, all exceedings were detected in conventionally grown products, unlike organically grown products.