Can official control laboratories quantify reliably fipronil in eggs? Evidence from a proficiency testing round

Area of Science:

• Food Safety Analysis
• Environmental Chemistry
• Regulatory Compliance

Background:

• The European Union (EU) mandates strict regulations for pesticide residues in food products.
• Fipronil is an insecticide with established Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) in foodstuffs like eggs.
• Accurate determination of fipronil is crucial for consumer protection and market surveillance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the analytical competence of National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) and Official Control Laboratories (OCLs) within the EU and associated countries.
• To assess the capability of these laboratories in determining fipronil and its metabolite fipronil sulfone in egg matrices.
• To verify the laboratories' ability to enforce EU regulations regarding fipronil residue limits.

Main Methods:

• A proficiency testing (PT) round was organized by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC).
• Two test materials of frozen liquid eggs, spiked with fipronil, were prepared and characterized at JRC facilities.
• Eighty-six laboratories from 22 EU Member States and associated countries participated in the PT round.

Main Results:

• 94% of participating laboratories achieved satisfactory performance, indicated by z scores.
• The analytical capability of most laboratories was demonstrated to be sufficient for enforcing EU regulations.
• 93% of participants correctly identified a non-compliant test item when providing a compliance statement.

Conclusions:

• The proficiency testing round confirmed the high analytical capability of most EU and associated country laboratories for fipronil determination in eggs.
• Participating laboratories demonstrated their readiness to enforce EU regulations (EC) 396/2005 and 1127/2014 concerning fipronil residues.
• The study highlights the effectiveness of proficiency testing in maintaining and assuring laboratory competence in food safety analysis.