[A method for the determination of ergot alkaloids in food]

A suitable method has been developed for the routine analysis of the ergot alkaloids ergometrine, ergometrinine, ergosine, ergosinine, ergotamine, ergotaminine, ergocornine, ergocorninine, alpha-ergocryptine, alpha-ergocryptinine, beta-ergocryptine, beta-ergocryptinine, ergocristine and ergocristinine in cereal products. The method consists of food extraction, cleaning of the crude extract by a modified form of the Extrelut method, and identification and quantitative determination of the alkaloids by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results are confirmed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Market investigations have shown contaminations in ecological as well as in conventional products, with rye products mainly being contaminated. Within the EEC, a maximum value of 0.05% ergot respectively a total alkaloid content of 1 mg/kg in cereals used for food production is prescribed. This value was not exceeded in any of the investigated samples.