[Validation Procedure for a Multi-Element Analytical Method Aiming at Dietary Intake Estimation]

Area of Science:

• Food safety analysis
• Analytical chemistry
• Environmental monitoring

Background:

• Total Diet Study (TDS) is crucial for estimating dietary intake of hazardous substances.
• International guidelines recommend validating analytical methods for TDS, but specific procedures are lacking.
• Accurate method validation is essential for reliable food safety assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop Samples to Estimate Methods Performance (SEMPs) for validating analytical methods in TDS.
• To establish a standardized procedure for evaluating the performance of multi-element analytical methods.
• To ensure the reliability of hazardous substance measurements in composite food samples.

Main Methods:

• Development of SEMPs containing 14 elements, including arsenic, lead, and cadmium.
• Measurement of element concentrations in fortified and non-fortified SEMPs.
• Establishment of a performance evaluation procedure through repeated sample analysis.

Main Results:

• SEMPs were successfully developed and characterized for element concentrations.
• A robust performance evaluation procedure for multi-element analysis was established.
• The study provides a framework for validating analytical methods used in TDS.

Conclusions:

• SEMPs are effective tools for validating analytical methods in Total Diet Studies.
• The developed procedure enhances the reliability of dietary intake assessments for hazardous substances.
• This work addresses a critical gap in method validation for food safety analysis.