Comprehensive investigation and risk study on pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination in Chinese retail honey

Yisheng He; Lin Zhu; Jiang Ma; Lailai Wong; Zhongzhen Zhao; Yang Ye; Peter P. Fu; Ge Lin

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115542

Comprehensive investigation and risk study on pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination in Chinese retail honey

Yisheng He, Lin Zhu, Jiang Ma, Lailai Wong, Zhongzhen Zhao, Yang Ye, Peter P. Fu, Ge Lin^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › peer-review

31 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are common phytotoxins. We performed the first comprehensive investigation on PA contamination in Chinese honeys. LC-MS analysis revealed that 58% of 255 honey samples purchased from 17 regions across Mainland China and Taiwan contained PAs with total content ranging over 0.2–281.1 μg/kg. Monocrotaline (from Crotalaria spp), a PA never found in honey in other regions, together with echimidine (Echium plantagineum) and lycopsamine (from Senecio spp.), were three predominant PAs in PA-contaminated Chinese honeys. Further, PAs present in honeys were found to have geographically distinct pattern, indicating possible control of such contamination in future honey production. Moreover, we proposed a new risk estimation approach, which considered both content and toxic potency of individual PAs in honeys, and found that 12% of the PA-contaminated Chinese honeys tested might pose potential health risk. This study revealed a high prevalence and potential health risk of PA contamination in Chinese honeys.

Original language	English
Article number	115542
Journal	Environmental Pollution
Volume	267
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115542
Publication status	Published - Dec 2020

Scopus Subject Areas

Toxicology
Pollution
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

User-Defined Keywords

Chinese honey
Food safety
LC-MS analysis
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids
Risk assessment

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115542

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@article{4e9853123f654939ad7cc8d4bbc4b5b2,

title = "Comprehensive investigation and risk study on pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination in Chinese retail honey",

abstract = "Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are common phytotoxins. We performed the first comprehensive investigation on PA contamination in Chinese honeys. LC-MS analysis revealed that 58% of 255 honey samples purchased from 17 regions across Mainland China and Taiwan contained PAs with total content ranging over 0.2–281.1 μg/kg. Monocrotaline (from Crotalaria spp), a PA never found in honey in other regions, together with echimidine (Echium plantagineum) and lycopsamine (from Senecio spp.), were three predominant PAs in PA-contaminated Chinese honeys. Further, PAs present in honeys were found to have geographically distinct pattern, indicating possible control of such contamination in future honey production. Moreover, we proposed a new risk estimation approach, which considered both content and toxic potency of individual PAs in honeys, and found that 12% of the PA-contaminated Chinese honeys tested might pose potential health risk. This study revealed a high prevalence and potential health risk of PA contamination in Chinese honeys.",

keywords = "Chinese honey, Food safety, LC-MS analysis, Pyrrolizidine alkaloids, Risk assessment",

author = "Yisheng He and Lin Zhu and Jiang Ma and Lailai Wong and Zhongzhen Zhao and Yang Ye and Fu, {Peter P.} and Ge Lin",

note = "Funding Information: The study was supported by Research Grants Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (GRF Project No. 14110714). This article is not an official U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance or policy statement. No official support or endorsement by the U.S. FDA is intended or should be inferred. Funding Information: The study was supported by Research Grants Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (GRF Project No. 14110714 ). This article is not an official U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance or policy statement. No official support or endorsement by the U.S. FDA is intended or should be inferred. ",

year = "2020",

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doi = "10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115542",

language = "English",

volume = "267",

journal = "Environmental Pollution",

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AU - He, Yisheng

AU - Zhu, Lin

AU - Ma, Jiang

AU - Wong, Lailai

AU - Zhao, Zhongzhen

AU - Ye, Yang

AU - Fu, Peter P.

AU - Lin, Ge

N1 - Funding Information: The study was supported by Research Grants Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (GRF Project No. 14110714). This article is not an official U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance or policy statement. No official support or endorsement by the U.S. FDA is intended or should be inferred. Funding Information: The study was supported by Research Grants Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (GRF Project No. 14110714 ). This article is not an official U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance or policy statement. No official support or endorsement by the U.S. FDA is intended or should be inferred.

PY - 2020/12

Y1 - 2020/12

N2 - Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are common phytotoxins. We performed the first comprehensive investigation on PA contamination in Chinese honeys. LC-MS analysis revealed that 58% of 255 honey samples purchased from 17 regions across Mainland China and Taiwan contained PAs with total content ranging over 0.2–281.1 μg/kg. Monocrotaline (from Crotalaria spp), a PA never found in honey in other regions, together with echimidine (Echium plantagineum) and lycopsamine (from Senecio spp.), were three predominant PAs in PA-contaminated Chinese honeys. Further, PAs present in honeys were found to have geographically distinct pattern, indicating possible control of such contamination in future honey production. Moreover, we proposed a new risk estimation approach, which considered both content and toxic potency of individual PAs in honeys, and found that 12% of the PA-contaminated Chinese honeys tested might pose potential health risk. This study revealed a high prevalence and potential health risk of PA contamination in Chinese honeys.

AB - Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are common phytotoxins. We performed the first comprehensive investigation on PA contamination in Chinese honeys. LC-MS analysis revealed that 58% of 255 honey samples purchased from 17 regions across Mainland China and Taiwan contained PAs with total content ranging over 0.2–281.1 μg/kg. Monocrotaline (from Crotalaria spp), a PA never found in honey in other regions, together with echimidine (Echium plantagineum) and lycopsamine (from Senecio spp.), were three predominant PAs in PA-contaminated Chinese honeys. Further, PAs present in honeys were found to have geographically distinct pattern, indicating possible control of such contamination in future honey production. Moreover, we proposed a new risk estimation approach, which considered both content and toxic potency of individual PAs in honeys, and found that 12% of the PA-contaminated Chinese honeys tested might pose potential health risk. This study revealed a high prevalence and potential health risk of PA contamination in Chinese honeys.

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KW - Food safety

KW - LC-MS analysis

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Comprehensive investigation and risk study on pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination in Chinese retail honey

Abstract

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