title: Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in herbal teas for infants, pregnant or lactating women.
abstract: A general contamination of tea with pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) has just become known. Here, we report the application and modification of a new HPLC-ESI-MS/MS sum parameter method to quantitate PA content of herbal teas intended for infants, pregnant and lactating women. Using p-toluenesulfonyl isocyanate for derivatization and a stable isotope labeled internal standard, the total retronecine-/heliotridine-type PA content of the samples is expressed in form of a single sum parameter (retronecine equivalents: RE). The new methods were applied to analyze 44 tea samples for such consumer groups. Thirty eight products (86%) were tested PA positive showing PA concentrations ranging from 0 to 391 μg RE/kg (average: 50 μg RE/kg). The dataset is discussed in the view of the current discussion on PA in the food chain with special focus on those particular vulnerable consumer groups.
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Lebensmittelchemie, Schleinitzstr. 20, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mädge
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Pharmazeutische Biologie, Mendelssohnstr. 1, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Luise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cramer
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Pharmazeutische Biologie, Mendelssohnstr. 1, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rahaus
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Lebensmittelchemie, Schleinitzstr. 20, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Gerold
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jerz
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Lebensmittelchemie, Schleinitzstr. 20, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Winterhalter
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Pharmazeutische Biologie, Mendelssohnstr. 1, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany. Electronic address: t.beuerle@tu-bs.de.
authors.forename: Till
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beuerle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007306:Insecticides / Q000737:chemistry*; D007774:Lactation; D008297:Male; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011247:Pregnancy; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D000069459:Teas, Herbal / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids; D000069459:Teas, Herbal
keywords: HPLC–ESI-MS/MS; Herbal tea; Infants; Pregnant and lactating women; Pyrrolizidine alkaloids; Stable isotope labeled standard