Figures & data
Figure 1. Exemplary chemical structures of different types of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and tropane alkaloids prevalent in milk samples.
![Figure 1. Exemplary chemical structures of different types of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and tropane alkaloids prevalent in milk samples.](/cms/asset/5923ac7a-3f35-42eb-9a32-b5a4de99634f/tfac_a_2336054_f0001_b.jpg)
Table 1. Overview of milk samples collected from farms in Bavaria and Schleswig-Holstein throughout consecutive seasons named A–E.
Table 6. Exemplary scenarios (mean case and exemplary single case estimations) of consumer exposure to pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) and pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxides (PANO) via milk. The percentage of health-based guidance value (HBGV, 0.1 µg/kg b.w./d, BfR (Citation2016b)) (%), representing the risk of acute health impairment, and the margin of exposure (MOE, EFSA. (Citation2017)), representing an elevated risk for long-term adverse effects through PA/PANO, are shown for mean and high consumers. For calculation, 1 kg of milk was regarded as equal to 1 L.
Table 7. Exemplary single case estimations of consumer exposure to tropane alkaloids (TA) using two positive samples of milk (calculation of a mean case scenario not possible due to mean concentration < limit of detection). The percentage of the acute reference dose (ARfD, EFSA. (2013)) for the group of (−)-hyoscyamine and (−)-scopolamine, representing the risk of acute health impairment through TA intake, is shown for mean and high consumers. For calculation, the analytically determined atropine content was regarded as 100% (−)-hyoscyamine and 1 kg of milk was regarded as equal to 1 L.
Figure 2. Pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) and pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxide (PANO) sum content (µg/L) of PA/PANO-positive milk (n = 26) sampled between winter/spring 2020 and winter/spring 2022 in the regions Bavaria (sample numbers 1–108) and Schleswig-Holstein (sample numbers 109–228). Sorted by region and sum content. Dark grey: organic production, light grey: conventional production.
![Figure 2. Pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) and pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxide (PANO) sum content (µg/L) of PA/PANO-positive milk (n = 26) sampled between winter/spring 2020 and winter/spring 2022 in the regions Bavaria (sample numbers 1–108) and Schleswig-Holstein (sample numbers 109–228). Sorted by region and sum content. Dark grey: organic production, light grey: conventional production.](/cms/asset/75faef1a-a896-44ee-8f83-69542268763c/tfac_a_2336054_f0002_b.jpg)
Table 2. Pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) and pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxide (PANO) content (µg/L) of PA/PANO-contaminated milk sampled in the region Bavaria. The samples originated from several farms with either organic or conventional production (for additional information see Supplementary Table S1). Non-listed samples had no detectable PA/PANO contents (<limit of detection). Only analytes detected in at least one sample from either Bavaria or Schleswig-Holstein are listed. PA/PANO contents were rounded to two significant figures where applicable.
Table 3. Pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) and pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxide (PANO) content (µg/L) of PA/PANO-contaminated milk sampled in the region Schleswig-Holstein. The samples originated from several farms with either organic or conventional production (for additional information see Supplementary Table S1). Non-listed samples had no detectable PA/PANO contents (<limit of detection). Only analytes detected in at least one sample from either Bavaria or Schleswig-Holstein are listed. PA/PANO contents were rounded to two significant figures where applicable.
Table 4. Exemplary estimations on pyrrolizidine alkaloid/pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxide (PA/PANO) intake of a dairy cow per day and corresponding amounts of plant material potentially present in the diet of a dairy cow when milk is highly contaminated with PA/PANO.
Table 5. Tropane alkaloid (TA) content (µg/L) of TA-contaminated milk sampled in the regions Bavaria and Schleswig-Holstein. The samples originated from several farms with either organic or conventional production. Data of the multi-analyte method and the independent verification analysis for tropane alkaloids are shown. Non-listed samples had no detectable TA contents (<limit of detection).