Dados do Trabalho

Título

DETERMINATION BY LC-ESI-MS/MS AND ESTIMATED DAILY INTAKE OF PYRROLIZIDINE ALKALOIDS IN HONEYS

Introdução

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) and their N-oxides (NOs) are plant-derived secondary metabolites known to be hepatotoxic to humans and animals. Their presence in bee products poses health risks, prompting global concern. The European Commission (EC) has recently set maximum concentration levels for PAs in food (1 to 1000 µg/kg), with a limit of 500 µg/kg for pollen. However, there are currently no specific limits for honey. This study aims to evaluate PA levels in floral honey (FH) and bracatinga honeydew honey (BH) to provide updated occurrence data.

Material e Métodos

Twenty-one samples were obtained from markets in Florianópolis, SC, including 7 FH samples from Santa Catarina and 14 BH samples from Santa Catarina and Paraná. Eight PAs were determined using LC-ESI-MS/MS, with parameters developed and validated by our research group in collaboration with LFDA - MAPA, São José, SC.

Resultados e Discussão

Echimidine was not detected (ND) in any sample, while monocrotaline was quantified only in FH (ND to 25 ± 4 µg/kg). Lycopsamine+intermedine was quantified in all BH samples (up to 323 ± 7 µg/kg), while not detected in FH. However, senecionine NO and retrorsine NO were not detected in BH, but showed varied levels in FH (ND to 60 ± 9 µg/kg and 31 ± 1 to 106 ± 10 µg/kg, respectively). Senecionine also showed varied levels in FH (25 ± 1 to 248 ± 50 µg/kg) and BH (16 ± 4 to 150 ± 13 µg/kg)

Conclusão

If the limit imposed by the EC for pollen was applied to these honey samples, all would comply with the legislation and, therefore, would not have barriers to international trade. Based on the recommended daily intake of PAs (1.42 μg PA/day for a 60 kg person) and the total PAs found in this study, daily consumption of FH and BH could range from 3.7 to 20.5 g of honey/day. This is approximately 5 times higher than the estimated daily honey intake in Brazil (0.18 g/day). Regardless of the botanical and geographical origin, the levels of PAs in evaluated honeys were varied, with no pattern observed. Therefore, all samples could still be consumed daily without risking acute PA intoxication.