Heavy Metal | EUROLAB

What Is Heavy Metals?

Heavy metal analysis in food is the determination of toxic elements originating from environmental contamination or processing. The sample is acidified in a microwave system and measured by ICP-MS. If separation of total arsenic and inorganic arsenic is required, the method combined with chromatography (HPLC-ICP-MS) is used.

Purpose of Heavy Metals

The aim is to show whether the contaminant levels remain below the maximum limits in the legislation. It also helps to investigate the source in case of suspicion of transmission through food contact packaging.

Which Products Is Heavy Metals Applied To?

Aquaculture and seafood (mercury, cadmium)
Rice and grain products (inorganic arsenic)
Vegetables, fruits and baby foods
Canned goods (tin)
Food supplements and spices

In Which Sectors Is Heavy Metals Used?

FoodDrinkAgricultureRetailYem

Standards Related to Heavy Metals

EN 13804 (element tayini — genel kurallar)
EN 14084 (lead, cadmium, zinc, copper and iron in food — AAS)
EN 15763 (arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead in food — ICP-MS)
EU 1881/2006 and Turkish Food Codex Contaminants Regulation

Heavy Metals Conditions

Sample preparation: Closed cup microwave digestion (nitric acid/hydrogen peroxide)
Measurement: ICP-MS; high levels of ICP-OES or AAS
Arsenic speciation: HPLC-ICP-MS when inorganic arsenic is desired
Quality control: Certified reference material and internal standard

Equipment for Heavy Metals

Analytical balance and homogenizer
Sample preparation apparatus (extraction, filtration, concentration)
Kromatografi veya spektrometri sistemi
Temperature controlled storage and conditioning cabinets

Sample Requirements for Heavy Metals

The sample should be taken to be homogeneous and representative of the lot.
For analytes that are sensitive to light or oxygen, a dark colored and tightly closed container should be used.
The sample amount varies with the number of analytes; If more than one analysis is requested, the total amount increases.
The product name, list of ingredients and declared value, if any, must be provided with the sample.

Duration of Heavy Metals

Combustion and measurement and analysis take several working days. Arsenic speciation is a separate study and takes longer.

Heavy Metals Procedure

1The sample is homogenized and protected against metal contamination.
2It is weighed and burned with acid in a microwave system.
3The solution is made up to volume.
4Elements are measured with ICP-MS.
5Accuracy is checked with a certified reference material.
6Results are reported in mg/kg with measurement uncertainty.

Heavy Metals Acceptance Criteria

The legislation, not the method, determines whether the result will be considered appropriate or not. The relevant communiqué of the Turkish Food Codex, EU 2073/2005 and 1881/2006 and the specification of the buyer company define different limits depending on the product group; The report gives the measured value and takes the limit from the applicable legislation.

Evaluation of Results

The result is compared with the maximum limits of the product group in the EU 1881/2006 and the Turkish Food Codex Contaminants Regulation. The limit for the same element varies depending on the product group; Product-specific regulations such as arsenic in rice and mercury in fish are also taken into account.

Heavy Metals Report

Sample description, batch/lot information and arrival conditions
Sampling method (if taken by the laboratory)
Applied analysis method and reference standard
Analysis date and incubation conditions, if any
Result and its unit
Measurement uncertainty (if requested)
A statement that the result applies only to the specimen submitted for testing

Accreditation

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Scope and authorisations

Related Regulations

Turkish Food Codex Regulation and related product communiqués
EU 1881/2006 — maximum limits of contaminants in food
Turkish Food Codex Labeling and Consumer Information Regulation

Food Testing — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the Heavy Metals test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Food testing shows that a product is safe for consumption and contains what its label states. The family works along three axes: microbiological safety, chemical safety and nutritional composition. All three require different laboratory infrastructure, a different body of methods and a different turnaround time.

The most distinctive feature of the field is TIME PRESSURE. A steel specimen can wait on a shelf; a raw milk or fresh meat sample cannot. The time the sample was taken, the transport temperature and how long it takes to reach the laboratory directly determine the validity of the result. In food microbiology the cold chain record is therefore an inseparable part of the test report.

On the microbiological side there are two different questions and they must not be confused. DETECTION of a pathogen is a qualitative question: is Salmonella present in the sample or not? ENUMERATION of indicator organisms is a quantitative question and an indicator of production hygiene. The absence of a pathogen in a product does not show that hygiene is good; if the total mesophilic aerobic count is high, there is a problem in the process.

On the chemical side, pesticide residues, mycotoxins, heavy metals, additives, veterinary drug residues and process contaminants (acrylamide, furan, PAH) are measured. Multi-residue methods in this area (QuEChERS-based LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS) can screen hundreds of active substances in a single analysis; limits are defined separately for each product–substance pair.

On the composition side, protein, fat, moisture, ash, fibre, sugar profile, fatty acid composition, vitamin and mineral content are determined. These values are the basis of the nutrition declaration on the label and the tolerance ranges are defined in legislation — the difference between the declared value and the measured value must stay within that tolerance.

There is NO CE marking on food, and this shapes how the field works. Conformity is demonstrated through operating a HACCP-based food safety system, complying with labelling rules and not exceeding contaminant, residue and microbiological limits. A test result produces evidence not for a certificate but for a functioning system.

Allergen management carries particular weight. The presence of an undeclared allergen in a product is one of the most frequent causes of food recalls. Analysis here runs together with cleaning validation: it is shown that the line has been cleaned adequately after a production run containing an allergen and that the risk of cross-contamination is under control.

Voluntary schemes have become effectively mandatory in this field. Retail chains require their suppliers to hold a certificate under a GFSI-recognised scheme (BRCGS, IFS, FSSC 22000); without it, getting onto the shelf is practically impossible.

Method groups in this field

Pathogen detection
Detection of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, Cronobacter and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli; culture-based and molecular methods.
Indicator counts
Total mesophilic aerobic count, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms and E. coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci, yeasts and moulds, lactic acid bacteria, sulphite-reducing Clostridia.
Pesticide and veterinary residues
Multi-residue screening by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS with QuEChERS extraction.
Mycotoxins and contaminants
Aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol, patulin; heavy metals (ICP-MS), acrylamide and PAH compounds.
Nutritional composition
Kjeldahl protein, fat and fatty acid profile, moisture, ash, dietary fibre, sugar profile, vitamin and mineral analyses.
Allergens and authenticity
Gluten, milk, egg, nut and soy allergen analyses; molecular methods for species identification and adulteration detection.

Commonly confused in this field

Sampling is half the result. A sample transported at the wrong temperature or delayed gives an invalid result even if it is analysed correctly in the laboratory.
The absence of a pathogen does not show that hygiene is good; indicator counts give separate information and the two are read together.
A result from a sample taken from a lot can be generalised to the whole lot only if the sampling plan was set up statistically.
Limits are defined in separate regulations by product group and are updated regularly; a conformity decision based on an outdated limit table may be wrong.
For exports, the limits of the destination country may differ from EU limits; the same product may be compliant in one market and non-compliant in another.

Which decisions these results support

Verification of the HACCP plan and process monitoring
The basis for the nutrition declaration and allergen information on the label
Health certificates before export and compliance with destination market limits
Supplier and lot-based acceptance control
Shelf-life studies and determining storage conditions
Producing evidence for audits under GFSI-recognised schemes

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About Heavy Metals

Toplam arsenik yeterli mi?

Not in most cases. Most of the arsenic in seafood is in non-toxic organic form. Legislation separately regulates inorganic arsenic in products such as rice; therefore speciation may be required.

Is there a risk of contamination during sample preparation?

Yes, it is a serious risk. Grinder blades and containers can be sources of metal; Therefore, equipment made of suitable materials is used in contaminant analysis and a blind sample is studied.