Scientific opinion on ergot alkaloids in food and feed

This scientific opinion is about three-year study on ergot alkaloids and sclerotia conducted by Croatian Food Agency (HAH) from 2014 to 2016 in different types of samples from Croatia. According to Commission Regulation 2015/1940, Member States are recommended to monitor the presence of these alkaloids and to inform European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) about the results.
In total, 80 samples (of which 65 food samples and 15 feed samples) were analyzed on 6 main ergot alkaloids and their corresponding –inine epimers (results are shown as the sum, according to Regulation 2015/1940). In total 28 samples were visually analyzed on ergot sclerotia (all rye samples). Ergot sclerotia were found in 36 % of the samples with an average content of 0,0242 g/kg (including all samples) and with a max. of 0,25 g/kg, which means that all the samples were below the maximum permitted levels of 0,5 g/kg according to Regulation 2015/1940. At least one of the ergot alkaloid was quantified in 62 % of the samples and the mean concentration on the basis of all samples was 136 mg/kg, with the max. recorded concentration of 1816 mg/kg in a rye sample. Results of correlation between the incidence of ergot sclerotia in a sample and the concentration of ergot alkaloids, were not sufficient to establish a cause – effect relationship between these two phenomena.
The highest concentration in the final product was observed in rye and wheat bread in the amount of 80,6 mg/kg and was used for risk assessment. It was concluded that a person of 70 kg b.w. will be at risk of acute toxicity if would daily eat more than 870 g of this foodstuff and at risk of chronic toxicity if would daily eat more than 520 g. In addition to acute toxicity, more realistic risk assessment was made for chronic toxicity and for that reason, mean concentration of ergot alkaloids in all products in the category of bread and rolls, as well as the concentration on the 95th percentile was taken into consideration. With regard to the tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 0,6 mg/kg, it was concluded that a person of 70 kg b.w. could daily eat over 1240 g of bread and rolls with average concentration of ergot alkaloids and over 610 g with high concentration (on the 95th percentile) in order to reach full TDI. Therefore it was concluded that the risk to human health is low.
KEY WORDS
Ergot alkaloids, ergot sclerotia, ergot, ergotism, risk assessment