ANNEX IIISAMPLING AND ANALYSIS REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MONITORING REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 4

II.Analysis

1.

FBOs shall provide sufficient data to enable an assessment of the level of acrylamide and of the likelihood that the product type might exceed the benchmark level.

2.The sample shall be analysed in a laboratory that participates in appropriate proficiency testing schemes (which comply with the ‘International Harmonised Protocol for the Proficiency Testing of (Chemical) Analytical Laboratories’15 developed under the auspices of IUPAC/ISO/AOAC) and uses approved analytical methods for detection and quantification. Laboratories shall be able to demonstrate that they have internal quality control procedures in place. Examples of these are the ‘ISO/AOAC/IUPAC Guidelines on Internal Quality Control in Analytical Chemistry Laboratories’16.

Wherever possible the trueness of analysis shall be estimated by including suitable certified reference materials in the analysis.

3.The method of analysis used for the analysis of acrylamide must comply with the following performance criteria

Parameter

Criterion

Applicability

Foods specified in this Regulation

Specificity

Free from matrix or spectral interferences

Field blanks

Less than Limit of Detection (LOD)

Repeatability (RSDr)

0,66 times RSDR as derived from (modified) Horwitz equation

Reproducibility (RSDR)

as derived from (modified) Horwitz equation

Recovery

75-110 %

Limit of Detection (LOD)

Three tenths of LOQ

Limit of Quantification (LOQ)

For benchmark level < 125 μg/kg: ≤ two fifths of the benchmark level (however not required to be lower than 20 μg/kg)

For benchmark level ≥ 125 μg/kg: ≤ 50 μg/kg

4.

Analysis of acrylamide can be replaced by measurement of product attributes (e.g. colour) or process parameters provided that a statistical correlation can be demonstrated between the product attributes or process parameters and the acrylamide level.