Fate of Food-Relevant Toxic Plant Alkaloids during Food Processing or Storing and Analytical Strategies to Unveil Potential Transformation Products

Toxic plant alkaloids (TPAs) may contaminate food and pose a threat to consumer health; as a consequence, they areundesired in foodstuffor food commodities. Similar to other ingredients, TPA may be affected by storing or processing of food, oftenassociated with decreased levels of the parent alkaloids. Up to now, little is known about potential transformation products or if theystill may exhibit toxic potential to consumers. This perspective briefly summarizes the current knowledge regarding the behavior ofopium, pyrrolizidine, and tropane alkaloids toward processing or storing and highlights analytical strategies to identify and elucidatepotential transformation products

Automated summary

Toxic plant alkaloids (TPAs) found in food may be affected by storing or processing, leading to decreased levels of the parent alkaloids. However, little is known about potential transformation products and their toxic potential. This perspective summarizes the current knowledge on the behavior of opium, pyrrolizidine, and tropane alkaloids during processing or storing, and highlights analytical strategies to identify and elucidate potential transformation products.