Stability of pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Senecio vernalis in grass silage under different ensilage conditions.

Background: This study evaluated the degradation of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) from eastern groundsel (Senecio vernalis) in grass silage prepared with different inoculants. Silages were produced from ryegrass with 230 g kg−1 dry matter (DM) content and mixed with eastern groundsel (9:1; w/w fresh matter basis) containing 5.5 g kg−1 DM PA. Treatments were: CON (untreated control), LP (3.0 × 105 cfu g−1Lactobacillus plantarum DSMZ 8862/8866) or LBLC (7.3 × 104 cfu g−1Lactobacillus buchneri LN40177 / Lactobacillus casei LC32909), and each of the treatments in combination with 30 g kg−1 molasses. Silages were prepared in glass jars and opened after 3, 10, and 90 days. Fermentation characteristics were determined and the PAs analyzed. Results: Although the levels of fermentation acids differed between treatments, results indicated good quality of all silages during 90 days. Significant time (P < 0.001) and treatment (P < 0.001) effects were observed for PAs. Concentrations of senecionine and seneciphylline decreased with molasses, declined over time, and were negatively correlated with lactic, propionic, and butyric acid, or with lactic and butyric acid in case of seneciphylline. In all silages, seneciphylline and senecionine N‐oxides were undetectable after 3 days, whereas senkirkine, the most abundant PA, remained stable. Conclusions: Silage prepared from grass contaminated with eastern groundsel still contained high PA levels, and was hence a potential health hazard. Molasses supplementation reduced concentrations of senecionine and seneciphylline, while the bacterial inoculants had no effect. Other potentially toxic PA metabolites were not analyzed in the present study and further research is needed. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]