Overview
EN ISO 18363-3:2024 specifies a validated laboratory method for the simultaneous determination of fatty‑acid‑bound chloropropanediols (2‑MCPD and 3‑MCPD esters) and glycidyl esters (bound glycidol) in animal and vegetable fats and oils. The procedure is based on acid‑catalysed transesterification, followed by derivatization of the released (free) analytes with phenylboronic acid (PBA) and quantification by GC/MS. The method is applicable to both solid and liquid fats and oils. Reported performance limits are LOQ = 0.1 mg/kg and LOD = 0.03 mg/kg for all three analytes.
Key topics and requirements
- Scope and applicability: single‑assay determination of 2‑MCPD esters, 3‑MCPD esters and glycidyl esters in fats and oils (solid and liquid).
- Analytical principle: acid transesterification to cleave ester‑bound analytes → derivatization with PBA → analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS).
- Derivatization reagent: phenylboronic acid (PBA) is used to stabilise and enable GC/MS detection of released diols and glycidol.
- Performance characteristics: defined limits of detection and quantification (LOD 0.03 mg/kg; LOQ 0.1 mg/kg).
- Standard content: detailed instructions on reagents, apparatus, sample preparation, calibration curve construction, GC/MS reference conditions, quantification procedures, precision (repeatability and between‑day reproducibility) and required test report elements.
- Quality and traceability: method includes calibration and internal standard procedures to support reliable quantification and laboratory accreditation.
Practical applications and users
This standard is intended for laboratories and organisations involved in food safety, quality control and regulatory compliance, including:
- Food testing and analytical laboratories validating MCPD/glycidol levels in edible fats and oils.
- Refiners and producers of vegetable and animal fats who need to monitor process‑related contaminants.
- Food manufacturers assessing raw materials and finished products for compliance with safety limits.
- Regulatory authorities and import/export control agencies enforcing contaminant monitoring programs.
- Research groups studying processing impacts (e.g., refining or frying) on MCPD and glycidol formation.
Benefits include harmonised, reproducible measurement procedures, suitability for routine monitoring, and support for compliance with food safety programs.
Related standards
- Part of the ISO 18363 series on MCPD and glycidol analysis; EN ISO 18363-3:2024 supersedes EN ISO 18363-3:2021.
- Complementary methods in the series (e.g., ISO 18363‑1) use alternative release/derivatization strategies; users should select the part most appropriate for their analytical and regulatory requirements.
