Determination of atropine and scopolamine in spinach-based products contaminated with genus Datura by UHPLC-MS/MS

Delia Castilla-Fernández; David Moreno-González; Juan F García-Reyes; Evaristo Ballesteros; Antonio Molina-Díaz

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129020

Determination of atropine and scopolamine in spinach-based products contaminated with genus Datura by UHPLC-MS/MS

Food Chem. 2021 Jun 15:347:129020. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129020. Epub 2021 Jan 9.

Authors

Delia Castilla-Fernández¹, David Moreno-González², Juan F García-Reyes¹, Evaristo Ballesteros³, Antonio Molina-Díaz⁴

Affiliations

¹ Analytical Chemistry Research Group, Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, University of Jaén, Campus las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain.
² Analytical Chemistry Research Group, Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, University of Jaén, Campus las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain; ISAS-Leibniz-Institut für analytische Wissenschaften, Bunsen-Kirchhoff-Str. 11, 44139 Dortmund, Germany. Electronic address: dmgonzal@ujaen.es.
³ Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, E.P.S. of Linares, University of Jaén, 23700 Linares, Jaén, Spain.
⁴ Analytical Chemistry Research Group, Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, University of Jaén, Campus las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain; Center for Advanced Studies in Olives Grove and Olive Oils (CEAOAO), Science and Technology Park GEOLIT, 23620 Mengíbar, Spain.

PMID: 33482490
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129020

Abstract

Datura species are well known because of their high concentration of tropane alkaloids, which has led to poisoning episodes when Datura is accidentally mixed with edible crops. Therefore, the European Union has set a maximum level in cereal-based infant food products of 1 µg kg^-1 for atropine and scopolamine. However, the occurrence of these compounds in other commodities has become a global concern. Spinach and derived products can be contaminated with Datura innoxia leaves. In this study, we tested frozen spinachs and spinach-based infant food products. The determination was carried out by UHPLC-MS/MS after applying the QuEChERS method as sample treatment. The LOQs were below 0.016 µg kg^-1, achieving satisfactory results in terms of precision, accuracy, and matrix effects. The obtained results (ranging between 0.02 and 8.19 µg kg^-1) were close to the maximum level set by the European Union for 24% of the samples tested.

Keywords: Liquid chromatography; Mass spectrometry; QuEChERS; Spinach; Tropane alkaloids.

MeSH terms

Atropine / analysis*
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods*
Datura / chemistry*
Food Analysis*
Scopolamine / analysis*
Spinacia oleracea
Tandem Mass Spectrometry / methods*

Substances

Atropine
Scopolamine