Occurrence of tropane alkaloids - atropine and scopolamine - in corn, buckwheat, sorghum, and millet, and their processed food products

A newly developed UHPLC–MS/MS analytical method was applied to determine atropine and scopolamine concentrations in 240 samples of cereals and cereal-based products. The method showed satisfactory sensitivity and precision, enabling reliable quantification of tropane alkaloids (TAs) at low μg/kg levels. Among the 196 unprocessed grains, TAs were detected at or above the LOQ in 33 % of corn, 3 % of buckwheat, 7 % of millet and 39 % of sorghum grain samples. Concentrations varied considerably between cereals, with maximum combined levels of atropine and scopolamine ranging from 0.54 to 650 μg/kg. In cereal-based products, TA levels were generally lower; the highest detected concentrations ranged from 0.57 to 50.23 μg/kg, and 13–67 % of samples contained TAs at or above the LOQ. Maximum acceptable levels of TAs specified in Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 were exceeded in three samples - two unprocessed sorghum grain samples (8.78 and 650.42 μg/kg) and one organic millet flakes sample (50.23 μg/kg). These findings highlight the need for continuous monitoring of tropane alkaloids in cereals to ensure compliance with food-safety regulations.