Application of a streamlined LC-MS/MS methodology for the determination of atropine and scopolamine in cereals from Asian and African countries

Tropane alkaloids are toxic secondary metabolites produced by a wide variety of plants that can be present in edible materials or animal feed. Several human poisoning cases through consumption of cereals were reported over the last years and highlighted the need for reliable and robust analytical methodologies for safety control. To rationalize analyses in high-throughput laboratory environments dealing with shorter and shorter turn-around-around time, the scope of our multi mycotoxins method was extended to the analysis of two regulated tropane alkaloids, namely atropine and scopolamine. Extraction procedure is based on the QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Efficient, Rugged, and Safe) approach followed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) detection. Quantification is performed by the isotopic dilution approach using labelled isotopomers as internal standard. The procedure was validated at two fortification levels (0.5 mu g/kg and 10 mu g/kg) on different cereal-based products according to the European SANTE/12682/2019 document and performance parameters such as precision (RSD(r) <= 6%, RSD(iR) <= 6%) and recovery (82-114%) fulfilled its requirements. The limit of quantification (0.5 mu g/kg) is low enough to ensure compliance with existing regulations. The method was further applied on 95 cereals and cereal-based products collected from Asian and African countries. All samples were found free of the two targeted TAs, with the exception of a rice-based product in which both atropine and scopolamine were quantified at 9.6 mu g/kg and 2.6 mu g/kg, respectively. A total of 29 cereals samples, shown to be free of both atropine and scopolamine were also analysed for mycotoxins. Aflatoxins, fumonisins, and deoxynivalenol were sporadically detected at levels below the maximum levels defined by the European Union legislation often considered as the most stringent regulation.