Metals and nitrogenous compounds in food and feed

Wageningen Food Safety Research (WFSR) is the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for researching environmental contaminants such as metals and nitrogenous compounds in food and feed. This is laid down in Regulation (EU) 2017/625 and additional legislation on contaminants in products of animal origin.

Expertise

WFSR has specific expertise in analysing heavy metals and toxic elements in food and feed, such as (inorganic) arsenic, (methyl) mercury, cadmium, lead, nickel, copper, zinc and iodine. Additionally, WFSR has validated and accredited methods for the analysis of nitrogenous compounds, such as melamine, cyanuric acid, nitrate and nitrite. WFSR is also involved in research into N-nitrosamines, including method development and studying levels of N-nitrosamines in different food products. Furthermore, WFSR possesses extensive knowledge and experience in metal and nitrogenous compounds regarding legislation, method development and validation, quality controls, and ensuring the accuracy of Official Laboratories.

Independent quality assurance

At WFSR, we take part in validation and inter-laboratory comparison studies, as well as proficiency tests organised by the European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) and other third parties. This helps us ensure independent quality assurance and validate and compare our test methods. The Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen serves as the EURL for metals and nitrogenous compounds.

Reagents and reference substances

Please use the contact form on this website for questions related to reference substances and reagents that may be used for analyses within the scope of the NRL metals and nitrogenous compounds.