EN ISO 21424:2020 PDF

Milk, milk products, infant formula and adult nutritionals - Determination of minerals and trace elements - Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method (ISO 21424:2018)

Title (English):

EN ISO 21424:2020

Milk, milk products, infant formula and adult nutritionals - Determination of minerals and trace elements - Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method (ISO 21424:2018)

Document status:: Active
Format:: Electronic (PDF)
Number of pages:: 39
Publication date:: June 3, 2020
Edition:: CEN EN 21424 edition 1 version 1
ICS:: 67.100.10

Document language:

enru

Delivery time:1–7 days

Price:89 €

Description (English):

This document specifies a method for the quantitative determination of calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo) and selenium (Se) using inductively coupled plasma and mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The method is applicable for the determination of all 12 elements in infant formula and adult nutritional products. The method is also applicable for milk, milk powder, whey powder, butter and cheese excluding the determination of Cr, because all Cr results were below the quantification limit and reproducibility could not be determined in these matrices[1]. The present method is an extension of ISO 20649 | IDF 235 (AOAC 2011.19[2]) which was validated only for Cr, Mo and Se in infant formula and adult nutritional products.

Technical details

Technical committee: CEN/TC 302 - Milk and milk products - Methods of sampling and analysis
SKU: EN ISO 21424:2020

Abstract

Overview

EN ISO 21424:2020 (identical to ISO 21424:2018) defines an ICP‑MS method for the quantitative determination of a suite of minerals and trace elements in milk, milk products, infant formula and adult nutritional products. The standard covers sample digestion, instrument tuning, calibration and calculation procedures needed to measure Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, P, K, Na, Zn, Cr, Mo and Se using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‑MS). It is published by CEN as the European adoption of the ISO/IDF method.

Key topics and technical requirements

Analytes covered: Calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, chromium, molybdenum and selenium.
Applicable matrices: Infant formula and adult nutritionals (all 12 elements); milk, milk powder, whey powder, butter and cheese (all elements except chromium, which was below quantification limits in those matrices).
Sample preparation: Closed‑vessel microwave digestion with nitric acid, an internal standard and hydrogen peroxide; digestion temperature is specified (200 °C in the method principle).
ICP‑MS operation: Instrument tuning, use of internal standards, calibration standard sets, and autosampler rinse procedures are specified to control accuracy and contamination.
Quality control and performance: The standard includes calibration blanks, preparation blanks, precision data (repeatability and reproducibility) and reporting requirements. Precision data and analytical ranges are provided in the standard (see Table 1 and Annex A of the document).
Method lineage: The method extends earlier standards (ISO 20649 | IDF 235) and is equivalent to AOAC Official Method 2015.06 for infant formula minerals and trace elements.

Practical applications

Routine quantitative analysis of minerals and trace elements for:
- Nutritional labeling and formulation verification (infant formula, adult nutritionals, dairy products)
- Quality control during production of milk‑based products
- Regulatory compliance and food safety monitoring for trace elements (e.g., Se, Mo, Cr)
Multi‑element screening where high sensitivity and low detection limits are required; ICP‑MS offers rapid, simultaneous determination of the listed elements.

Who should use this standard

Dairy and infant formula laboratories performing compositional analysis
Food testing and public health laboratories monitoring mineral/trace element content
Manufacturers of nutritional products and quality assurance teams
Accreditation bodies and regulators specifying validated analytical methods

Related standards

ISO 20649 | IDF 235 (earlier method, validated for Cr, Mo, Se in infant formula)
AOAC Official Method 2015.06 (equivalent method for infant formula)
Laboratory ISO/IEC accreditation guidance for analytical testing

For implementation, consult the full EN ISO 21424:2020 text for detailed procedures, reagent specifications, calibration ranges and precision tables.

Related standards

Mentioned in the description and other EN standards

Abstract

Overview

Key topics and technical requirements

Analytes covered: Calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, chromium, molybdenum and selenium.
Applicable matrices: Infant formula and adult nutritionals (all 12 elements); milk, milk powder, whey powder, butter and cheese (all elements except chromium, which was below quantification limits in those matrices).
Sample preparation: Closed‑vessel microwave digestion with nitric acid, an internal standard and hydrogen peroxide; digestion temperature is specified (200 °C in the method principle).
ICP‑MS operation: Instrument tuning, use of internal standards, calibration standard sets, and autosampler rinse procedures are specified to control accuracy and contamination.
Quality control and performance: The standard includes calibration blanks, preparation blanks, precision data (repeatability and reproducibility) and reporting requirements. Precision data and analytical ranges are provided in the standard (see Table 1 and Annex A of the document).
Method lineage: The method extends earlier standards (ISO 20649 | IDF 235) and is equivalent to AOAC Official Method 2015.06 for infant formula minerals and trace elements.

Practical applications

Routine quantitative analysis of minerals and trace elements for:
- Nutritional labeling and formulation verification (infant formula, adult nutritionals, dairy products)
- Quality control during production of milk‑based products
- Regulatory compliance and food safety monitoring for trace elements (e.g., Se, Mo, Cr)
Multi‑element screening where high sensitivity and low detection limits are required; ICP‑MS offers rapid, simultaneous determination of the listed elements.

Who should use this standard

Dairy and infant formula laboratories performing compositional analysis
Food testing and public health laboratories monitoring mineral/trace element content
Manufacturers of nutritional products and quality assurance teams
Accreditation bodies and regulators specifying validated analytical methods

Related standards

ISO 20649 | IDF 235 (earlier method, validated for Cr, Mo, Se in infant formula)
AOAC Official Method 2015.06 (equivalent method for infant formula)
Laboratory ISO/IEC accreditation guidance for analytical testing

For implementation, consult the full EN ISO 21424:2020 text for detailed procedures, reagent specifications, calibration ranges and precision tables.

EN ISO 21424:2020 PDF

Technical details

Abstract

Overview

Key topics and technical requirements

Practical applications

Who should use this standard

Related standards

Related standards

Abstract

Overview

Key topics and technical requirements

Practical applications

Who should use this standard

Related standards

Related standards

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