Ergot and ergot alkaloids in cereal grains intended for animal feeding collected in SloveniaBabič, Janja (Avtor) Tavčar-Kalcher, Gabrijela (Avtor) Celar, Franci Aco (Avtor) Kos, Katarina (Avtor) Červek, Matjaž (Avtor) Jakovac-Strajn, Breda (Avtor) animal feedanalysistoxicityergot alkaloid occurrencecerealsLC-MS/MScorrelationsurveysclerotiaalkaloidsedible grainquestionnairesThis four-year study reports the occurrence of ergot alkaloids (EAs) in cereals intended for animal feeding collected in Slovenia. A total of 517 samples of cereals were analysed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the presence of EAs. The sample set included wheat, rye, triticale, oat, spelt and barley. The study revealed that 17% of the analysed cereal samples were contaminated with at least one ergot alkaloid. EAs have two epimeric forms: -ine and -inine. The incidence rates of the -ine and -inine forms in the analysed samples were 16% and 15%, respectively. The highest contamination rates were observed in rye (54%), oat (50%) and spelt (30%), where the highest mean concentrations of total EAs were also determined (502 µg/kg, 594 µg/kg and 715 µg/kg, respectively). However, the highest concentrations of total EAs were found in wheat and rye (4217 µg/kg and 4114 µg/kg, respectively). The predominant EAs were ergometrine, ergosine and ergocristinine. The occurrence of six or more ergot alkaloids was observed in 49% of the positive samples. A weak correlation (p = 0.284) in the positive samples was found between the mass of sclerotia and the total concentrations of EAs using the Spearman correlation coefficient. 20202020-12-03 09:40:10Članek v reviji122358UDK: 636.082:615.9:543:547ISSN pri članku: 2072-6651DOI: 10.3390/toxins12110730COBISS_ID: 40459011OceCobissID: 517594649sl