EN 16943:2017

Foodstuffs - Determination of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfur and zinc by ICP-OES

This European Standard describes a method for the determination of minerals and trace elements in foodstuffs using optical emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-OES) after pressure digestion.
This method has been validated in an interlaboratory study according to ISO 5725 [1] on children's food soya, cheese, chicken meat, wheat flour, apple juice, lobster and milk, with calcium ranging from 70 mg/kg to 7178 mg/kg, with copper ranging from 0,60 mg/kg to 16,40 mg/kg, with iron ranging from 0,88 mg/kg to 77 mg/kg, with potassium ranging from 605 mg/kg to 14 312 mg/kg, with magnesium ranging from 45 mg/kg to 1 174 mg/kg, with manganese ranging from 0,44 mg/kg to 5,12 mg/kg, with sodium ranging from 11 mg/kg to 2 220 mg/kg, with phosphorus ranging from 72 mg/kg to 9 708 mg/kg, with sulfur ranging from 26 mg/kg to 8 542 mg/kg and with zinc ranging from 0,16 mg/kg to 43,5 mg/kg.

Lebensmittel - Bestimmung von Calcium, Kupfer, Eisen, Magnesium, Mangan, Phosphor, Kalium, Natrium, Schwefel und Zink mit ICP OES

Diese Europäische Norm beschreibt ein Verfahren zur Bestimmung von Mineralstoffen und Spurenelementen in Lebens¬mitteln mit der optischen Emissionsspektrometrie mit induktiv gekoppeltem Plasma (en: optical emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma, ICP-OES) nach Druckaufschluss.
Dieses Verfahren wurde in einem Ringversuch nach ISO 5725 [1] unter Verwendung von Kindernahrung auf Sojabasis, Käse, Hühnchenfleisch, Weizenmehl, Apfelsaft, Hummer und Milch, mit Calcium im Bereich von 70 mg/kg bis 7 178 mg/kg, mit Kupfer im Bereich von 0,60 mg/kg bis 16,40 mg/kg, mit Eisen im Bereich von 0,88 mg/kg bis 77 mg/kg, mit Kalium im Bereich von 605 mg/kg bis 14 312 mg/kg, mit Magnesium im Bereich von 45 mg/kg bis 1 174 mg/kg, mit Mangan im Bereich von 0,44 mg/kg bis 5,12 mg/kg, mit Natrium im Bereich von 11 mg/kg bis 2 220 mg/kg, mit Phosphor im Bereich von 72 mg/kg bis 9 708 mg/kg, mit Schwefel im Bereich von 26 mg/kg bis 8 542 mg/kg und mit Zink im Bereich von 0,16 mg/kg bis 43,5 mg/kg validiert.

Produits alimentaires - Dosage du calcium, du cuivre, du fer, du magnésium, du manganèse, du phosphore, du potassium, du sodium, du soufre et du zinc par ICP-OES

LLa présente Norme européenne décrit une méthode de dosage du calcium, du cuivre, du fer, du magnésium, du manganèse, du phosphore, du potassium, du sodium, du soufre et du zinc dans différents produits alimentaires par spectrométrie d’émission optique à plasma induit par haute fréquence (ICP OES) après digestion sous pression.
Cette méthode a été validée lors d’une étude interlaboratoires réalisée conformément à l’ISO 5725 [1] sur une préparation pour nourrisson à base de soja, du fromage, de la viande de poulet, de la farine de blé, du jus de pomme, du homard et du lait (voir les gammes de concentrations des éléments dans le Tableau 1 et les données de validation dans l’Annexe B).
Des valeurs de HorRat supérieures à 2 ont été observées pour certaines combinaisons analyte/matrice lors de l’étude de validation.
Au niveau européen ou international, il peut exister des normes verticales concernant le dosage de minéraux spécifiques, par exemple pour le lait et les produits laitiers ou pour les corps gras d’origines animale ou végétale [2].

Živila - Določevanje kalcija, bakra, železa, magnezija, mangana, fosforja, kalija, natrija, žvepla in cinka z ICP-OES

Ta evropski standard opisuje metodo za določanje mineralov in elementov v sledovih v živilih z uporabo optične emisijske spektrometrije z induktivno sklopljeno plazmo (ICP-OES) po razklopu pod tlakom.
Ta metoda je bila potrjena v medlaboratorijski študiji v skladu s standardom ISO 5725 [1] o otroški hrani, soji, siru, piščančjem mesu, pšenični moki, jabolčnem soku, jastogu in mleku s kalcijem v razponu 70–7178 mg/kg, z bakrom v razponu 0,60–16,40 mg/kg, z železom v razponu 0,88–77 mg/kg, s kalijem v razponu 605–14.312 mg/kg, z magnezijem v razponu 45–1174 mg/kg, z manganom v razponu 0,44–5,12 mg/kg, z natrijem v razponu 11–2220 mg/kg, s fosforjem v razponu 72–9708 mg/kg, z žveplom v razponu 26–8542 mg/kg in s cinkom v razponu 0,16–43,5 mg/kg.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 09-May-2017
• Withdrawal Date: 29-Nov-2017
• ICS: 67.050 - General methods of tests and analysis for food products
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 275 - Food analysis - Horizontal methods
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 275/WG 10 - Trace elements (heavy metals)
• Current Stage: 9093 - Decision to confirm - Review Enquiry
• Start Date: 01-Mar-2023
• Completion Date: 14-Apr-2025
• Directive: 882/2004 - Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 onofficial controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules
• Ref Project: SIST EN 16943:2017 - Foodstuffs - Determination of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfur and zinc by ICP-OES

Overview

EN 16943:2017 (CEN) specifies a standardized analytical method for the determination of minerals and trace elements in foodstuffs by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP‑OES) after pressure digestion. The method covers quantitative analysis of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfur and zinc. It was validated in an interlaboratory study (ISO 5725) on matrices such as infant formula (soya), cheese, chicken meat, wheat flour, apple juice, lobster and milk.

Key validation facts:

• Validated element concentration ranges (mg/kg) include calcium 70–7178, copper 0.60–16.40, iron 0.88–77, potassium 605–14 312, magnesium 45–1 174, manganese 0.44–5.12, sodium 11–2 220, phosphorus 72–9 708, sulfur 26–8 542 and zinc 0.16–43.5.
• The document reports repeatability/reproducibility data and notes HorRat values >2 for some analyte/matrix combinations.

Key Topics and Requirements

• Sample preparation: Pressure digestion according to EN 13805; guidance for dry samples and for adding small volumes of water, nitric acid and (where needed) hydrochloric acid to prevent adsorption losses (e.g., iron).
• ICP‑OES operation: Instrument setup, optimization, and measurement procedures are described, including axial vs radial observation considerations.
• Calibration & reagents: Preparation of multi‑level calibration/reference solutions, use of high‑purity nitric and hydrochloric acids, and avoidance of phosphorus contamination from stabilized hydrogen peroxide.
• Interference control: Use of ionization buffers (e.g., caesium chloride) for sodium/potassium, and optional internal standards (scandium, ytterbium, yttrium) to reduce physical matrix effects.
• Quality control: Blank control, calibration verification, spectral interference checks (informative Annex A) and documented precision data (Annex B).
• Recommended wavelengths and example reference solution concentrations are provided for element-specific determinations; users must check line interferences for their instrument and matrix.

Applications and Users

EN 16943:2017 is intended for:

• Food testing laboratories performing routine mineral and trace element analysis for nutritional labeling, compliance and safety testing.
• Regulatory agencies and official control laboratories requiring harmonized methods for surveillance.
• Food manufacturers and QC teams validating raw materials and finished products.
• Research laboratories studying mineral composition or fortified foods.

Practical uses include nutritional content verification, contaminant/mineral monitoring, product development and cross‑laboratory comparability.

Related Standards

• EN 13805 - Foodstuffs: Determination of trace elements - Pressure digestion (sample mineralization)
• EN 13804 - General considerations and specific requirements for element determination in foodstuffs
• ISO 5725 - Precision (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results (used for validation)

Keywords: EN 16943:2017, ICP‑OES, foodstuffs analysis, pressure digestion, mineral determination, trace elements, CEN, interlaboratory validation.

Standards Content (Sample)

2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.Lebensmittel - Bestimmung von Calcium, Kupfer, Eisen, Magnesium, Mangan, Phosphor, Kalium, Natrium, Schwefel und Zink mit ICP OESProduits alimentaires - Dosage du calcium, du cuivre, du fer, du magnésium, du manganèse, du phosphore, du potassium, du sodium, du soufre et du zinc par ICP-OESFoodstuffs - Determination of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfur and zinc by ICP-OES67.050Splošne preskusne in analizne metode za živilske proizvodeGeneral methods of tests and analysis for food productsICS:Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z:EN 16943:2017SIST EN 16943:2017en,fr,de01-julij-2017SIST EN 16943:2017SLOVENSKI
STANDARD
EUROPEAN STANDARD NORME EUROPÉENNE EUROPÄISCHE NORM
EN 16943
May
t r s y ICS
x yä r w r English Version
Foodstuffs æ Determination of calciumá copperá ironá magnesiumá manganeseá phosphorusá potassiumá sodiumá sulfur and zinc by ICPæOES Produits alimentaires æ Dosage du calciumá du cuivreá du ferá du magnésiumá du manganèseá du phosphoreá du potassiumá du sodiumá du soufre et du zinc par ICPæOES
Lebensmittel æ Bestimmung von Calciumá Kupferá Eisená Magnesiumá Manganá Phosphorá Kaliumá Natriumá Schwefel und Zink mit ICP OES This European Standard was approved by CEN on
t r February
t r s yä
egulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alterationä Upætoædate lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CENæCENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN memberä
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CENæCENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versionsä
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austriaá Belgiumá Bulgariaá Croatiaá Cyprusá Czech Republicá Denmarká Estoniaá Finlandá Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedoniaá Franceá Germanyá Greeceá Hungaryá Icelandá Irelandá Italyá Latviaá Lithuaniaá Luxembourgá Maltaá Netherlandsá Norwayá Polandá Portugalá Romaniaá Serbiaá Slovakiaá Sloveniaá Spainá Swedená Switzerlandá Turkey and United Kingdomä
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre:
Avenue Marnix 17,
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t r s y CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CEN national Membersä Refä Noä EN
s x { v uã t r s y ESIST EN 16943:2017

Spectral interferences . 15 Annex B (informative)
Precision Data . 18 B.1 Details on the inter-laboratory study . 18 Bibliography . 30
= 1 000 mg/l 2 per element Calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfur and zinc individual element stock solutions and internal standard used. The individual element stock solutions may not contain any of the elements to be determined here as accompanying substances or impurities, which could affect the correctness of the results. Alternatively, commercial mixed stock solutions can also be used. 4.7 Standard solutions,
= 100 mg/l per element Copper, iron, manganese and zinc standard solution, produced by dilution of the respective stock solution (4.6). Pour 10 ml of water into a 50-ml volumetric flask, add 2 ml of nitric acid (4.1) and mix. After cooling to room temperature, add exactly 5 ml respectively of the copper, iron, manganese and zinc stock solution (4.6) by pipette and fill up with water to the mark. These standard solutions are stable for at least six months. 4.8 Element reference solutions 4.8.1 General The concentrations of the reference solutions indicated in 4.8.3 to 4.8.6 serve as examples and shall be modified corresponding to the instrument sensitivity, the direction of viewing (axial or radial) and the concentration range to be examined, if necessary. If possible, the calibration shall be performed in the
1 w = mass fraction 2
These reference solutions are stable for a month. The following data under 4.8.3 to 4.8.6 serve as examples and shall be adapted corresponding to the device sensitivity and the emission wavelength selected, and the direction of viewing (axial or radial), if necessary. 4.8.3 Reference solution 1 Pipette the following amounts of stock solutions (4.6) into the prepared 100-ml volumetric flask (4.8.2): — 2,0 ml calcium \3)
= 20 mg/l calcium; — 1,0 ml magnesium \
= 10 mg/l magnesium; — 2,0 ml potassium \
= 20 mg/l potassium; — 1,0 ml sodium \
= 10 mg/l sodium; Furthermore, pipette the following amounts of standard solutions (4.7) into the same flask and fill up to the mark with water: — 0,50 ml copper \
= 0,5 mg/l copper; — 0,50 ml iron \
= 0,5 mg/l iron; — 0,50 ml manganese \
= 0,5 mg/l manganese; — 0,50 ml zinc \
= 0,5 mg/l zinc. 4.8.4 Reference solution 2 Pipette the following amounts of stock solutions (4.6) into the prepared 100-ml volumetric flask (4.8.2): — 10,0 ml calcium \
= 100 mg/l calcium; — 5,0 ml magnesium \
= 50 mg/l magnesium; — 10,0 ml potassium \
= 100 mg/l potassium; — 5,0 ml sodium \
= 50 mg/l sodium.
3) the sign "\ 6 means: "which leads to a mass concentration of" SIST EN 16943:2017

= 2,0 mg/l copper; — 2,0 ml iron \
= 2,0 mg/l iron; — 2,0 ml manganese \
= 2,0 mg/l manganese; — 2,0 ml zinc \
= 2,0 mg/l zinc. 4.8.5 Reference solution 3 Pipette the following amounts of stock solutions (4.6) into the prepared 100-ml volumetric flask (4.8.2): — 20,0 ml calcium \
= 200 mg/l calcium; — 10,0 ml magnesium \
= 100 mg/l magnesium; — 20,0 ml potassium \
= 200 mg/l potassium; — 10,0 ml sodium \
= 100 mg/l sodium. Furthermore, pipette the following amounts of standard solutions (4.7) into the same flask and fill up to the mark with water: — 5,0 ml copper \
= 5,0 mg/l copper; — 5,0 ml iron \
= 5,0 mg/l iron; — 5,0 ml manganese \
= 5,0 mg/l manganese; — 5,0 ml zinc \
= 5,0 mg/l zinc. 4.8.6 Reference solutions phosphorus and sulfur Pipette the following amounts of stock solutions (4.6) into the prepared 100-ml volumetric flask (4.8.2) and fill up to the mark with water: — 1,0 ml respectively phosphorus and sulfur \
= 10,0 mg/l phosphorus and sulfur; — 5,0 ml respectively phosphorus and sulfur \
= 50,0 mg/l phosphorus and sulfur; — 10,0 ml respectively phosphorus and sulfur \
= 100,0 mg/l phosphorus and sulfur. 4.9 Zero value solution The zero value solution contains water, 10 ml of nitric acid (4.1), 2 ml of hydrochloric acid (4.2), if applicable 10 ml caesium chloride solution (4.4) and a corresponding amount of internal standard (4.5) in 100 ml. 5 Apparatus 5.1 General All equipment and labware that come into direct contact with the sample and the solutions used shall be carefully pretreated/cleaned corresponding to EN 13804 to minimize the blank value. 5.2 ICP-OES, optical emission spectrometer with inductively coupled argon plasma, sample supply and atomization system as well as device control and evaluation unit. SIST EN 16943:2017
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