Determination of macro- and microelements in dairy, meat, and fish food products using microwave plasma — atomic emission spectroscopy

A method for determining macro- and microelements in dairy, meat and fish food products and food raw materials by atomic emission spectrometry with microwave plasma generation (MP-AES) has been developed and certified for evaluating their nutritional value and safety. Method MP-AES is rarely used in laboratory practice due to the lack of methodological base for food control. The developed method provides experimental determination of P, Ca, K, Na, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, Cd, Pb, and Sn, the relative measurement uncertainty for all the elements being 30%. For sample preparation the refined standard (according to GOST 31671) procedure allowed us to eliminate all matrix interferences. The new tehnique provides necessary sensitivity for all aforementioned elements in accordance with the requirements of the regulatory documents. Some limitations in the sensitivity touch on analysis of infant milk formula for Pb and Mn; Cd is recommended to be determined in the products with maximum permitted level less than 0.2 mg/kg. The accuracy of the procedure was proved in analysis of the certified materials and interlab comparing experiment with atomic absorption spectroscopy and spectrophotometric methods. The MP-AES method implements fast procedure of analysis, with high reproducibility and accuracy. Along with low cost of the procedure, all the advantages allow us to consider MP-AES a promissing method of food quality control.

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