M/422 - Metals and Iodine in food
Mandate for standardisation addressed to CEN in the field of methods of analysis for heavy metals and iodine in food
The mandate M/422 requests CEN to develop and standardize methods of analysis for detecting heavy metals and iodine in food. The objective is to establish reliable and harmonized testing procedures to ensure food safety and compliance with regulatory limits for these substances. The mandate aims to support public health protection and facilitate uniform food quality assessment across the EU. The decision on the approval or disapproval of this mandate was recorded under resolution CEN/BT C20/2008.
Purpose
This mandate aims to establish standardised methods of analysis for detecting and measuring heavy metals and iodine in food products. The objective is to ensure consistent, reliable testing to support food safety and compliance with regulatory limits across the European Union.
Standardisation request
The European Commission requests the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) to develop and harmonise analytical standards specifically focused on heavy metals and iodine analysis in food. These standards are intended to cover sampling, detection techniques, quantification, and reporting procedures.
Expected deliverables
- Development of standardised methods for analysis of heavy metals in various food matrices.
- Standardised methods for the detection and quantification of iodine in food.
- Guidelines that support uniform interpretation and implementation across EU member states.
- Documentation and technical specifications to facilitate regulatory compliance and food safety monitoring.
Context
Heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic can pose health risks if present above certain thresholds in food. Iodine is an essential nutrient, but its levels must also be controlled. This mandate responds to the need for harmonised, validated analytical methods to underpin food safety policies and ensure consumer protection within the EU. The decision relates to resolution CEN/BT C20/2008 regarding the approval of this standardisation mandate.
The mandate covers the development of standardised methods of analysis for detecting heavy metals and iodine in food products. It focuses on ensuring accurate measurement techniques to monitor and control the presence of metals and iodine in the food sector for safety and regulatory compliance.
General Information
This final draft European Standard describes a method for the determination of monomethylmercury (MMHg) in foodstuffs of marine origin. The method has been validated in an interlaboratory test on mussel tissue, squid muscle, crab claw muscle, dog fish liver, whale meat, cod muscle and Greenland halibut muscle (all freeze-dried) at levels from 0,04 mg/kg to 3,6 mg/kg dry weight according to ISO 5725 2 [1].
Laboratory experiences have shown that this method is also applicable on fresh samples [2].
- Standard14 pagesEnglish languagee-Library read for1 day
This draft European Standard describes a procedure for the determination of inorganic arsenic in foodstuffs of marine and plant origin by anion-exchange HPLC-ICP-MS following waterbath extraction.
This method has been validated in an interlaboratory test on white rice, wholemeal rice, leek, blue mussels, fish muscle and seaweed with an inorganic arsenic mass fraction in the range 0,073 mg/kg to 10,3 mg/kg [1].
- Standard13 pagesEnglish languagee-Library read for1 day
This final draft European Standard describes a method for the determination of monomethylmercury (MMHg) in foodstuffs of marine origin. The method has been validated in an interlaboratory test on mussel tissue, squid muscle, crab claw muscle, dog fish liver, whale meat, cod muscle and Greenland halibut muscle (all freeze-dried) at levels from 0,04 mg/kg to 3,6 mg/kg dry weight according to ISO 5725 2 [1].
Laboratory experiences have shown that this method is also applicable on fresh samples [2].
- Standard14 pagesEnglish languagee-Library read for1 day
This draft European Standard describes a procedure for the determination of inorganic arsenic in foodstuffs of marine and plant origin by anion-exchange HPLC-ICP-MS following waterbath extraction.
This method has been validated in an interlaboratory test on white rice, wholemeal rice, leek, blue mussels, fish muscle and seaweed with an inorganic arsenic mass fraction in the range 0,073 mg/kg to 10,3 mg/kg [1].
- Standard13 pagesEnglish languagee-Library read for1 day
Frequently Asked Questions
A European Standardization Mandate is a formal request from the European Commission to the European Standardization Organizations (CEN, CENELEC, and ETSI) to develop European standards (ENs) in support of EU legislation and policies. Mandates are issued under Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 and help ensure that products and services meet the essential requirements set out in EU directives and regulations.
M/422 is a European Standardization Mandate titled "Mandate for standardisation addressed to CEN in the field of methods of analysis for heavy metals and iodine in food". Mandate for standardisation addressed to CEN in the field of methods of analysis for heavy metals and iodine in food There are 4 standards developed under this mandate.
Standards developed in response to a mandate and cited in the Official Journal of the European Union become "harmonized standards". Products manufactured in compliance with harmonized standards benefit from a presumption of conformity with the essential requirements of the corresponding EU directive or regulation, facilitating CE marking and market access across the European Economic Area.