Report of the interlaboratory comparison organised by the European Reference Laboratory for Food Contact Materials: ILC01 2012- Formaldehyde and Melamine in 3% acetic acid migration solution

Abstract

Abstract

This report presents the results of the Inter-laboratory comparison (ILC) organised by the EURL-FCM, Ispra (Italy), which focused on the quantification of formaldehyde and melamine in migration solutions of 3% acetic acid from food contact materials. The test materials used for preparation of the migration solutions were melamine kitchenware (spoons) containing formaldehyde and melamine. The EURL prepared and distributed three concentration levels of migration solution and in addition three melamine kitchen articles (spoons). The general aim of the exercise was to assess the performance of the official control laboratories and consequently the participants were free to use any analytical method of their choice. There were 70 participants to whom samples were dispatched (EURL, 27 NRLs + 42 national control laboratories from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Spain and United Kingdom) and 66 of which submitted results. The assigned values were obtained after applying the robust statistics to the results of the participants. Participants were invited to report 4 results for each concentration level and 2 results for each spoon. The ILC showed that the participation in the ILC was satisfactory regarding the number of the participating laboratories. For formaldehyde 80 % of all reported results were properly estimated, for melamine 89 % of all reported results were properly estimated.