Tag: Tropane alkaloids

In 2019, an incident in Uganda involving food aid contaminated with tropane alkaloids resulted in over 300 people falling ill and five deaths, highlighting the severe dangers these compounds pose. The answer to the question, "Are tropane alkaloids safe to consume?" is a definitive no, as they are potent toxins that can cause severe illness or death, even in small doses.

Atropine is a potent tropane alkaloid, not a food component, with lethal quantities found in small amounts of certain poisonous plants like deadly nightshade. Its presence in food is exclusively due to accidental contamination from toxic weeds harvested alongside crops.

Deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) is one of the most toxic plants known, and consuming its attractive black berries can have fatal consequences. Understanding what are the side effects of nightshade berries is crucial for anyone who spends time outdoors, especially in areas where these plants grow wild.

According to EFSA, atropine and other tropane alkaloids pose a toxicological concern in specific foods. This article explores foods that may contain atropine due to accidental contamination from toxic plants during harvest.