Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in bee pollen

According to Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 of the European Commission amending regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 maximum levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids apply to certain foodstoff.

The maximum levels refer to 35 pyrrolizidine alkaloids as mentioned in the respective regulation. A selection of the 35 pyrrolizidine alkaloids are within the scope of this ring test.

Bee pollen with spiked and incurred levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids is provided as test material. The corresponding unspiked bee pollen is provided as blank material. The blank material might contain incurred levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

The analytical data are assessed with respect to

the correct identification of the pyrrolizidine alkaloids,
the comparability (z-score), and
the trueness (70 to 120% of the spiked level, as far as applicable).

Reporting limits of at least 2 µg/kg are required for the individual PAs.

Parameters

echimidine, echimidine-NO, europine, europine-NO, heliotrine, heliotrine-NO, intermedine, intermedine-NO, lasiocarpine, lasiocarpine-NO, lycopsamine, lycopsamine-NO, retrorsine, retrorsine-NO, senecionine, senecionine-NO, seneciphylline, seneciphylline-NO, senecivernine, senecivernine-NO, senkirkine, echinatine, echinatine-NO, heliosupine, heliosupine-NO, indicine, indicine-NO, integerrimine, integerrimine-NO, rinderine, rinderine-NO, spartioidine, spartioidine-NO, usaramine, sum intermedine/lycopsamine, sum intermedine/lycopsamine/indicine/echinatine/rinderine, sum intermedine-NO/lycopsamine-NO, sum intermedine-NO/lycopsamine-NO/indicine-NO/echinatine-NO/rinderine-NO, sum senecionine/senecivernine, sum senecionine/senecivernine/integerrimine, sum senecionine-NO/seneciverine-NO, sum senecionine-NO/senecivernine-NO/integerrimine-NO, sum echimidine/heliosupine, sum echimidine-NO/heliosupine-NO, sum seneciphylline/spartioidine, sum seneciphylline-NO/spartioidine-NO, sum retrorsine/usaramine, sum retrorsine-NO/usaramine-NO

Expected time schedule

Please register before:
15 June 2026

Dispatch of samples:
14 September 2026

Deadline for reporting results:
06 October 2026

Costs of P2610-RT

Ring test and material	Amount	Price per unit
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in bee pollen	–	890 €
Test material Bee pollen, milled, with spiked and incurred levels of PAs.	20 g	included
Blank material Bee pollen, milled, unspiked, might contain incurred levels of PAs.	20 g	included

Note: PROOF-ACS reserves the right to cancel tests in case of less than ten participants.