Demonstration of Measurement Capabilities by Means of Interlaboratory Comparison Schemes for Trace Element Analysis in Food

Trace elements deficiency is not only widespread in poor non-industrialised countries but also due to bad eating habits increasingly in high industrialized countries. Trace elements are essential for the well being of humans and are suspected to have positive effects in cancer, Alzheimer and Parkinson patient? treatment. In case of higher intake they can also cause chronicle, acute toxic or even lethal effects. The European Commission set out a plan for a new proactive food policy in the year 2000. Food safety became a key issue and so did quality control and quality assurance as prerequisites to provide reliable analytical results to customers. The European Commission-Joint Research Centre-Institute of Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) provides with the International Measurement Evaluation Programme-IMEP@ a metrological tool to accreditation bodies, reference laboratories and field food monitoring laboratories to enable the assessment of measurement performance on trace element analysis in support to relevant EU policies. Reliability and comparability of measurement results is the aim in compliance with international standard (ISO/IEC 17025) and international recognition arrangements. The correct application of metrological concepts such as traceability and uncertainty are the basis of providing high quality and reliable measurement results. IMEP also provides the possibility via educational and training activities to assist in the implementation of well considered corrective measures and the further improvement in quality control subsequent to participation in an IMEP laboratory Comparisons (ILC). Measurement claims and demonstrated measurement capabilities can be compared in a completely transparent way by using the same IMEP certified test sample for ICLs on all levels of the international measurement infrastructure. In this sense, IRMM on behalf of the JRC play a key role in the construction of an internationally structured measurement system.

AREGBE Yetunde;  ROBOUCH Piotr;  PROHASKA Thomas; 

2007-10-02

John Wiley & Sons

JRC30200

978-0-471-68784-9 and 0-471-68784-7,