Determination of ergot alkaloids in buckwheat flour by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract

The study aimed to analyze the ergot alkaloid profile in buckwheat flour using the LC-MS/MS method. This method proved effective for quantifying six ergot alkaloids: ergocornine, ergocristine, ergometrine, ergosine, ergotamine, α-ergocryptine, and their epimers. It reliably detected these alkaloids at levels as low as 10 µg/kg. The procedure involved extracting the alkaloids with a mixture of methanol and water containing 0.4 % formic acid, followed by UHPLC-MS/MS analysis. The method demonstrated high sensitivity, accuracy, and precision. The study analyzed 30 buckwheat flour samples from the Serbian market. Among these, 29 samples showed no detectable ergot alkaloids. However, one sample tested positive for five ergot alkaloids, albeit within the proposed Maximum Residue Level (MRL) limits