The focus is on the vertical distribution of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in PA-producing weeds and explains why this matters for chamomile contamination under field conditions.
The study highlights that contamination risk is strongly linked to the position of weed plant parts within the harvest zone, making co-harvesting a critical pathway of concern.
These findings provide practical insight for safer medicinal plant production and more targeted weed management strategies. We are glad to contribute new evidence on PA risk assessment in Latvian medicinal plant cultivation systems.
This is a hot topic in agriculture, as the European Union has introduced strict rules (Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915) regarding the presence of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) in food, medicinal plants and related products.
Find out more about the research HERE.
The research is carried out within the project “Transfer of pyrrolizidine alkaloids from weeds to soil and medicinal plants (No lzp-2022/1-0543)”. The project is funded by the Fundamental and Applied Research Programme of the Latvian Council of Science.
