Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in honey

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

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

Honey with spiked and incurred levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids is provided as test material. The corresponding unspiked honey 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, usaramine-NO, 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, jacobine, jacobine-NO, monocrotaline, monocrotaline-NO, trichodesmine

Expected time schedule

Please register before:
15 January 2027

Dispatch of samples:
05 April 2027

Deadline for reporting results:
27 April 2027

Costs of P2709-RT

Ring test and material	Amount	Price per unit
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in honey	–	920 €
Test material Honey, with spiked and incurred levels of PAs.	50 g	included
Blank material Honey, with incurred levels of PAs.	50 g	included

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