Since the beginning of 2019, matrine and oxymatrine have also been included in the scope of the extensive pesticide screening using GC-MS / MS, LC-MS / MS (> 600 parameters) at QSI (outsourced within the Tentamus Group to bilacon GmbH, lab codes 88500, 88550).
Both substances are alkaloids, which occur naturally in plants of the Sophora family. Sophora is a genus of about 45 species of small trees and shrubs of the pea family Fabaceae.
Due to their insecticidal effect, matrine and oxymatrine continue to be used as active pharmaceutical ingredients and pesticides. Its use as a pesticide is not permitted in the EU, but both active ingredients are mainly used as insecticides in Asia.
For this reason, the EU has classified matrine as a pesticide, whereby the generally applicable catchment value of 0.01 mg / kg applies in accordance with Art. 18 (1) (b) Regulation 396/2005.
Since the beginning of July 2021, this standard value has also been valid for Oxymatrine, which was probably triggered by a rapid warning.
As usual, QSI will therefore list both substances in the test report if they are detected in the sample. In addition, from now on matrine and oxymatrine will be assessed with the standard value of 0.01 mg / kg. This value applies to both conventional and organic goods.
In several thousand pesticide analyzes for the honey matrix since the beginning of 2019, matrine and oxymatrine were only detected in 40 samples, in 50% of the cases the found levels were above 0.01 mg / kg. The origin of the samples of the positive results was China in all cases.
If you have any questions or special requirements regarding the scope of the examination
we are happy to advise you.
Email: info (at) qsi-q3.de
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