Quinolizidine Alkaloids Eurofins offers analysis of lupins and products thereof Occurrence in plants Occurrence in food and feed Quinolizidine alkaloids (QA) are toxic Due to their high protein content lupins secondary plant metabolites occurring in are an alternative to soy beans as food lupins. In total more than 170 QAs are and feed. Lupin production has been known. Due to their high alkaloid content supported by the German Federal Office wild lupins are referred to as bitter lupins. for Agriculture and Food in a “lupin- Various breedings with comparatively low network” from 2014 to 2019. As a local alkaloid levels from the 1920s and 1930s and vegan protein source lupins currently are known as sweet lupins. Sweet lupins evolve to be a “trend food”. contain a maximum of 5% bitter seeds Apart from their traditional usage as (EC No 1121/2009). Economically im- snacks in Meditarranean countries, lupins portant species are Lupinus albus (white are now increasingly used as flour, in lupin), Lupinus angustifolius (narrow- spreads and as a substitute for meat and leaved lupin) and Lupinus luteus (yellow milk. Even in bakery products, pasta, lupin) in Europe and Oceania, as well as drinks and coffee substitutes lupins can Lupinus mutabilis in the Andes. be found. The majority of lupin products Approximately three quarters of lupin is purchased in wholefood and health production originates from Oceania. food shops where they are advertised as European production accounts for ap- part of an “alkaline diet”. Additionally, proximately 200 kt. With their tolerance lupins are used as feed for cattle, sheep, for infertile soils lupins are ideal pioneer- goats and in aqua culture. ing plants and do not require much fertili- zation. Additionally, they improve soil quality due to nitrogen fixation by associ- ated rhizobial symbionts. Toxicology Analysis Symptoms of acute quinolizidine alkaloid intoxi- Our experts from the competence centre for cation are similar to curare. As competitive mycotoxins and toxic plant alkaloids offer the acetylcholine inhibitor quinolizidine alkaloids analysis of the most important quinolizidine interfere with signal transduction at the motor alkaloids via LC-MS/MS. The scope of the endplate. Resulting respiratory arrest may be method covers all quinolizidine alkaloids named fatal. Available data for repeated exposure are in the EFSA study for which reference stand- too limited for risk assessment. ards are commercially available. Standard LOQs are 10 mg/kg with lower LOQs on re- Sweet lupins can contain more than 100 mg/kg quest. quinolizidine alkaloids; the exposure of bitter lupines is even higher. In Europe no maximum The following QAs are part of the method: levels for quinolizidine alkaloids in food are cur- • lupanine rently set. Only sweet lupins can be used as feed (EU No 68/2013). In Australia and New • α-isolupanine Zealand a maximum level of 200 mg QA/kg • 13α-hydroxylupanine apply for lupins (FSANZ Schedule 19, 2017). A maximum of 5 mg sparteine/kg is allowed in • lupinine alcoholic beverages. The European Food Safe- • angustifoline ty Authority (EFSA) has issued a Scientific Opinion on the risk of quinolizidine alkaloids in • sparteine food and feed in September 2019. Based on a • multiflorine margin of exposure (MOE) approach the risk of • acute intoxication is low if less than 0.16 mg cytisine QA/kg bw are taken up orally. Primarily sweet lupins are used as food and feed but technical debittering of bitter lupins is also possible. The highest risk of acute intoxica- tion results from insufficiently debittered lupins. 6 0 RV6C 20 Eurofins Food & Feed Testing Germany [email protected] – www.eurofins.de The information included in this publication is based on our current knowledge and was thoroughly verified. Nevertheless there is no guarantee for it to be up-to-date, complete and correct. Eurofins is not to be held liable for damages or injury, which are connected to the use of this information. Especially the confirmation of legal details is up to the user. All offers are non-binding and without obligation. .