[Proficiency Testing Schemes for Food Nutrition Analysis in Japan (2017-2018)].

This paper deals with proficiency testing schemes for food nutrition analysis in Japan. In schemes in 2017 and 2018, 65 and 73 organizations participated, respectively, and more than 70% of the participants were public organizations responsible for a nutrition-labeling compliance test. The food matrices were pork and chicken sausages, and analytes were protein, fat, ash, moisture, carbohydrate, energy, sodium, salt equivalent, calcium (2018 only), and iron (2018 only).

[Interlaboratory Study on Evaporation Residue Test for Food Contact Products (Report 2)].

An interlaboratory study was performed to evaluate the equivalence between an official method and a modified method of evaporation residue test using heptane as a food-simulating solvent for oily or fatty foods, based on the Japanese Food Sanitation Law for food contact products. Twenty-three laboratories participated, and tested the evaporation residues of nine test solutions as blind duplicates. In the official method, heating for evaporation was done with a water bath.

[Interlaboratory Study on Evaporation Residue Test for Food Contact Products (Report 1)].

An interlaboratory study was performed to evaluate the equivalence between an official method and a modified method of evaporation residue test using three food-simulating solvents (water, 4% acetic acid and 20% ethanol), based on the Japanese Food Sanitation Law for food contact products. Twenty-three laboratories participated, and tested the evaporation residues of nine test solutions as blind duplicates. For evaporation, a water bath was used in the official method, and a hot plate in the modified method.

Comparison of Assigned Values from Participants' Results, Spiked Concentrations of Test Samples, and Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometric Results in Proficiency Testing for Pesticide Residue Analysis.

The Hatano Research Institute (HRI) at the Food and Drug Safety Center has recently organized a series of proficiency-testing (PT) programs called the "External Quality Control for Food Hygiene" in order to evaluate the analytical capability of testing laboratories that inspect food samples in accordance with the Food Sanitation Act. In one of these programs, Pesticide I, consensus values calculated from the participants' analytical results were used as assigned values, and the spiked concentrations of the prepared test samples were used for evaluating variation among individual participants. In the present study, the values obtained in the 2013-2015 rounds have been assessed by comparing the analytical results of the target pesticides obtained by using two different isotope-dilution MS (IDMS) methods.

[Interlaboratory Study on Caprolactam Test for Food-Contact Nylon Products].

The Japanese Food Sanitation Law sets a limit on the migration level of caprolactam for food-contacting nylon products. Here, we carried out an interlaboratory study in twenty laboratories to evaluate the performance of the official GC-FID test method and a GC-MS method as an alternative test method to the official method. Each laboratory quantified caprolactam in three test solutions in 20% ethanol as blind duplicates using GC-FID or GC-MS.

[Interlaboratory Study on Volatiles Test for Food-Contacting Polystyrene Products].

Using polystyrene, acrylonitrile-styrene resin and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin pellets as samples, an interlaboratory study was performed to evaluate the volatiles test method, based on the specifications described in the Japanese Food Sanitation Law for food-contacting polystyrene products. The study was conducted with the participation of twenty-one laboratories. Each laboratory quantified the contents of styrene, toluene, ethylbenzene, isopropylbenzene and propylbenzene in three test pellets using GC-FID, GC-MS or headspace-GC-FID.

[Interlaboratory Study on Zinc Test for Food-Contact Rubber Products].

Using six kinds of zinc solution in water and 4% acetic acid as samples, an interlaboratory study was performed to evaluate a zinc (Zn) test method for food-contact rubber products, based on the Japanese Food Sanitation Law. Eighteen laboratories participated, and quantified Zn in six test solutions as blind duplicates using flame atomic absorption spectrometry, induced coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry or induced coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Statistical analysis revealed that the trueness, repeatability (RSDr) and reproducibility (RSDr) were 97-103%, 0.

[Interlaboratory study on migration test of antimony and germanium for food-contact polyethylene terephthalate].

An interlaboratory study was performed to evaluate a migration test method of antimony (Sb) and germanium (Ge), based on the Japanese Food Sanitation Law for food- contact polyethylene terephthalate. Eighteen laboratories participated, and quantified Sb and Ge in three test solutions as blind duplicates using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS), inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) or induced coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Statistical analysis revealed that the trueness, repeatability and reproducibility were 98-107%, 1.

[Interlaboratory study on migration test of cadmium and lead for food contact articles].

An interlaboratory study was performed to evaluate a migration test method of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), based on the Japanese Food Sanitation Law for glassware, ceramicware, enamelware and metal cans. Seventeen laboratories participated, and quantified Cd and Pb in eight test solutions as blind duplicates using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS), inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) or induced coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Statistical analysis revealed that the trueness, repeatability (RSDr) and reproducibility (RSDr) were 93-105%, 0.

[Performance comparison of material tests for cadmium and lead in food contact plastics].

Based on the Japanese Food Sanitation Law, the performances of official and alternative material test methods for cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in food contact plastics were compared. Nineteen laboratories participated to an interlaboratory study, and quantified Cd and Pb in three PVC pellets. in the official method, a sample is digested with H2SO4, taken up in HCl, and evaporated to dryness on a water bath, then measured by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) or inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES).