SIST EN ISO 15774:2017 PDF

Overview

EN ISO 15774:2017 - "Animal and vegetable fats and oils - Determination of cadmium content by direct graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry" - is a CEN-adopted ISO method for measuring trace cadmium (Cd) at micrograms per kilogram in crude and refined edible oils and fats. Published in 2017, this method supersedes EN ISO 15774:2001. Milk and milk‑derived fats are excluded from the scope.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Analytical principle: direct graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF‑AAS). Samples are incinerated/atomized in a pyrolytic graphite tube and Cd is measured at 228.8 nm.
• Matrix modification: palladium is used as a matrix modifier to prevent Cd loss during thermal pretreatment (0.1% Pd solution prepared from PdCl2).
• Calibration and standards: use organometallic cadmium standard (example given) to prepare a 10 mg/kg stock and working standards (2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 µg/kg) in refined vegetable oil.
• Reagents & gases: analytical‑grade water (ISO 3696 grade 1), cyclohexane, hydrochloric acid, PdCl2, and argon (≥99.99%) for the furnace.
• Apparatus: GF‑AAS with peak‑area/autocalibrate modes, deuterium background or Zeeman correction; uncoated graphite tubes with a pyrolytic platform; optional autosampler (sample cup heating at 60 °C ±10 °C).
• Sample preparation: oils and standards are equilibrated at ~60 °C; high‑melting fats (mp ≥ 40 °C) are diluted 1:1 (mass/mass) with blank oil; autosampler injection volumes specified (15 µl heated, 20 µl when solvent‑diluted).
• Quality & performance: document includes precision data (repeatability, reproducibility) from interlaboratory tests and prescribes reporting elements for test reports.

Applications

• Routine food safety testing for cadmium contamination in edible oils and fats.
• Quality control in edible oil refining, seed oil processing, biodiesel feedstock assessment (when relevant to food chain).
• Regulatory compliance testing for maximum Cd limits set by food safety authorities.
• Method validation and interlaboratory comparison studies for trace metal analysis in lipid matrices.

Who uses this standard

• Accredited analytical and food testing laboratories
• Oil & fat producers and refiners (quality assurance teams)
• Regulatory agencies and public health laboratories
• Method developers and instrument vendors supplying GF‑AAS solutions

Related standards

• ISO 3696 - Water for analytical laboratory use (normative reference).
• EN ISO 15774:2001 - previous edition (now superseded).

Keywords: EN ISO 15774:2017, cadmium determination, graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, GF‑AAS, edible oils, fats, trace metals, palladium matrix modifier, food safety.