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This research project aims to assess the levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in honey produced by bees living in hives close to areas where ragwort or borage are growing.
<p>In order to update and extend the limited information regarding the transfer of PAs to honey, this study will place beehives on sites where borage or common ragwort are growing.
Honey from these sites, as well as from control sites, will be collected and screened for the presence of PAs by a semi-quanitative liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method.
If PAs are found to be present in ragwort honeys, a storage trial will be conducted to assess the stability of PAs in these honeys over time.
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are toxins that are produced naturally by some plants, including ragwort (Senecio spp.) and borage (Borago officinalis).
There is a potential for these toxins to be transferred to honey by pollinating bees, but information regarding the transfer of PAs from ragwort and borage to honey is limited.
Ragwort honey initially tends to be very unpleasant and unlikely to be eaten, but is said to become more palatable over time. Information on the stability of PAs in such honeys during storage is lacking.
<p>Find more about this project and other FSA food safety-related projects at the <a href="http://www.food.gov.uk/science/research/" target="_blank">Food Standards Agency Research webpage</a>.