FAO - j2291e00

ALINORM 04/27/23

JOINT FAO/WHO FOOD STANDARDS PROGRAMME
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION

Twenty-seventh Session
Geneva, Switzerland, 28 June - 3 July 2004

REPORT OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH SESSION OF THE
CODEX COMMITTEE ON METHODS OF ANALYSIS AND SAMPLING

Budapest, Hungary
8 – 12 March 2004

Note: This document incorporates Codex Circular Letter CL 2004/-8MAS

codex alimentarius commission
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION ORGANIZATION
OF THE UNITED NATIONS
JOINT OFFICE: Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 ROME Tel.:57051 www.codexalimentarius.net Email:[email protected] Facsimile: 3906.5705.4593

CX 4/50.2 CL 2004/8-MAS
March 2004

TO: - Codex Contact Points
- Interested International Organizations

FROM: - Secretary, Codex Alimentarius Commission, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, 00100 Rome, Italy

SUBJECT: Distribution of the Report of the 25^th Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (ALINORM 04/27/23)

A. MATTERS FOR ADOPTION BY THE 27^th SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION

Proposed Amendments to the Procedural Manual

1. Inclusion of General Criteria for the Selection of Single-Laboratory Validated Methods of Analysis (para. 18, Appendix II)
2. Amendments to the Analytical Terminology for Codex Use (paras. 66-72, Appendix II)

Methods of Analysis and Sampling

3. Methods of Analysis in Commodity Standards at different steps (paras. 78-101, Appendix VI- Sections A to D)
4. General Methods of Analysis for Additives and Contaminants (paras. 102-106, Appendix VI - Section E)

Proposed Draft Guidelines at Step 8

5. Draft General Guidelines on Sampling (para. 25, Appendix III)
6. Draft Guidelines on Measurement Uncertainty (para. 37, Appendix IV)
Governments wishing to propose amendments or comments on the above documents should do so in writing in conformity with the Guide to the Consideration of Standards at Step 8 (see Procedural Manual of the Codex Alimentarius Commission) to the Secretary, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy before 15 May 2004.

Proposed Draft Guidelines at Step 5

7. Proposed Draft Guidelines for Evaluating Acceptable Methods of Analysis (para. 54, Appendix V)
Governments wishing to submit comments on the implications which the Proposed Draft Amendment may have for their economic interests should do so in writing in conformity with the Procedure for the Elaboration of World-wide Standards at Step 5 to the Secretary, Codex Alimentarius Commission, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy before 15 May 2004.

B. REQUEST FOR COMMENTS AND INFORMATION
7. The Use of Analytical Results: Sampling Plans, Relationship Between the Analytical Results, the Measurement Uncertainty, Recovery Factors and Provisions in Codex Standards (for inclusion in the Procedural Manual) (para. 135, Appendix VII)
Governments and international organizations wishing to submit comments should do so in writing to the Secretary, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy, with a copy to Dr. Mária Váradi, Central Food Research Institute (KÉKI), H-1022 Budapest, Herman Ottó út 15 (Fax No., +361.212.9853 & 361.355.8928; e-mail, [email protected], before 15 September 2004.
8. Methods for the determination of dioxins and related compounds (para. 119)
Governments and international organizations are invited to provide proposals and information on the current methods used for determination of dioxins and related compounds to the Delegation of Germany (Dr. Hermann Broll, Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung, Postfach 33 00 13, 14191 Berlin, Germany, fax: +49 1 888 412-3635, e-mail: [email protected]) with a copy to the Secretary, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy, before 15 September 2004.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The summary and conclusions of the 25^th Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling are as follows:
Matters for consideration by the Commission:
The Committee:

- agreed to propose the inclusion of new General Criteria for the Selection of Single-Laboratory Validated Methods of Analysis in the Procedural Manual and the amendment of some definitions in the Analytical Terminology for Codex Use (paras. 18 and 72, Appendix II);

- endorsed several methods of analysis in commodity standards at different steps of the Procedure; and amended several general Codex methods for additives and contaminants (paras. 77-106, Appendix VI);

- advanced to Step 8 the Draft General Guidelines on Sampling (para. 25, Appendix III);
- advanced to Step 8 the Draft Guidelines on Measurement Uncertainty (para. 37, Appendix IV);
- advanced to Step 5 the Proposed Draft Guidelines for Evaluating Acceptable Methods of Analysis (para. 54, Appendix V)
Other Matters of Interest to the Commission
The Committee:
- agreed to ask for comments on the recommendations on the Use of the Analytical Results (for inclusion in the Procedural Manual) for consideration at the next session (para. 135, Appendix VII);

- agreed to return to Step 2/3 the Proposed Draft Guidelines for Settling Disputes on Analytical (Test) Results (para. 58);
- agreed to return to Step 2/3 the document on the Fitness-for-purpose Approach (para.. 65);

- agreed to proceed with the review of the current Analytical Terminology for Codex Use in the Procedural Manual (para. 76);
- agreed to consider criteria for methods of analysis for foods derived from biotechnology (para. 117) and methods for the determination of dioxins and PCBs at its next session (para. 119).

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Opening of the Session.....................................................................................................................	1-2
Adoption of the Agenda...................................................................................................................	3
Matters Referred to the Committee by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and Other Codex Committees.......................................................................................................................................	4-18
Draft General Guidelines on Sampling.............................................................................	19-25
Draft Guidelines on Measurement Uncertainty.................................................................	26-38
Proposed Draft Guidelines for Evaluating Acceptable Methods of Analysis.............................	39-54
Criteria for Evaluating Acceptable Methods of Analysis for Codex Purposes
A)Proposed Draft Guidelines for Settling Disputes over Analytical (Test) Results	55-58
B) Consideration of the Fitness-for-Purpose Approach to Evaluating Methods of Analysis...........................................................................................................................................	59-65
Review of the Analytical Terminology for Codex Use	66-76
Endorsement of Methods of Analysis Provisions in Codex Standards.............................................	77-106
Criteria for the Methods for the Detection of Foods Derived from Biotechnology: General Approach and Criteria for the Methods............................................................................................	107-117
Methods of Analysis for the Detection of Dioxins and PCBs..................................................	118-119
Report of an Inter-Agency Meeting on Methods of Analysis............................................................	120-127
Other Business and Future Work.......................................................................................................	128-136
Date and Place of Next Session..........................................................................................................	137

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix I	List of Participants	16
Appendix II	Proposed Amendments to the Procedural Manual	27
Appendix III	Draft General Guidelines on Sampling	29
Appendix IV	Draft Guidelines on Measurement Uncertainty	93
Appendix V	Proposed Draft Guidelines for Evaluating Acceptable Methods of Analysis	95
Appendix VI	Status of Endorsement of Methods of Analysis and Sampling	105
Appendix VII	The Use of Analytical Results: Sampling Plans, Relationship Between the Analytical Results, the Measurement Uncertainty, Recovery Factors and Provisions in Codex Standards	119