With flying colours: EU interlab test on furans in food

AGROLAB LUFA passed the European proficiency test for the detection of furan and alkylated furans in savoury snacks with an "excellent". 

The European Reference Laboratory for Contaminants from Food Processing (EURL-PC) organised a proficiency test for furan and alkylated furans (EURL-PC PT-2023-13) in a salted baked cereal product for the European National Reference Laboratories (NRLs).  The aim was to evaluate the performance of the national reference laboratories in the determination of furan and alkylated furans in cereal products. Although AGROLAB LUFA is not a national reference laboratory, we were also able to participate in this laboratory comparison as a "guest laboratory".

A total of 26 laboratories in Europe took part in the interlaboratory comparison. Like us, most of the laboratories used a headspace GC/MS system for the analysis.

Of all participants in the test for furan determination, two laboratories scored "unsatisfactory", 6 laboratories scored " questionable" and 18 laboratories scored "acceptable". For the determination of 2-methylfuran, the performance was even rated as " unsatisfactory" by four (reference?) laboratories!

The so-called "z-score" - a statistical function that describes deviations from the expected value - is used as a benchmark for comparing the laboratories. The z-score must lie between -2 and +2 to pass the test. The closer it is to 0, the closer the analysis result is to the statistical expected value. AGROLAB LUFA achieved a z-score of +0.5 for the determination of furan and +0.4 for 2-methylfuran. Both are excellent results.

YOUR PLUS: The successful and voluntary participation in independent international laboratory proficiency tests regularly confirms the high quality and reliability of our analysis.

Author: Dr. Frank Mörsberger