title: Quantitative determination of five ergot alkaloids in rye flour by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: A confirmatory method for detecting five ergot alkaloids, ergocristine, ergotamine, ergonovine, ergocornine and alpha-ergokryptine, in rye flour is described using high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry detection by monitoring two transition reactions per analyte. The procedure entails a liquid-liquid extraction followed by a clean-up step using a C18 solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridge. An analogue compound, methysergide hydrogen maleinate, was used to assess both repeatability sample preparation and potential MS response fluctuations. The method was fully validated according to the European Union (EU) criteria. Detection and quantification limits of all analytes were calculated ranging from 7 to 11 microg/kg and from 23 to 37 microg/kg, respectively. Fifteen rye flour samples were investigated with the newly developed method, and none of them were above the current Swiss limits of 200mg/kg for total ergot alkaloids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Quality and Safety Assurance, Nestlé Research Centre, Nestec Ltd., P.O. Box 44, Vers-chez-les-Blanc, 1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Rayane
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gremaud
authors.forename: Janique
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richoz-Payot
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tabet
authors.forename: Philippe A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Guy
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D004876:Ergot Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis*; D005433:Flour / Q000032:analysis*; D012015:Reference Standards; D012434:Secale / Q000737:chemistry*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004876:Ergot Alkaloids