SPECIAL GUEST EDITOR SECTION European Analytical Criteria: Past, Present, and Future LYNN VANHAECKE Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Laboratory of Chemical Analysis, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium PETRA GOWIK Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL), EC Community Reference Laboratory for Residues, PO Box 110260, D-10832 Berlin, Germany BRUNO LE BIZEC LABoratoire d’Etudes des Résidus et Contaminants dans les Aliments (LABERCA), ONIRIS, Atlanpôle de Chantrerie, Route de Gachet, BP 50707, 44307 Nantes Cedex 03, France LEEN VAN GINKEL RIKILT–Institute of Food Safety, European Community Reference Laboratory (CRL), PO Box 230, 6700 AE Wageningen, The Netherlands EMMANUELLE BICHON LABERCA, ONIRIS, Atlanpôle de Chantrerie, Route de Gachet, BP 50707, 44307 Nantes Cedex 03, France MARCO BLOKLAND RIKILT–Institute of Food Safety, CRL, PO Box 230, 6700 AE Wageningen, The Netherlands HUBERT F. DE BRABANDER Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Laboratory of Chemical Analysis, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium In this paper, the past, present, and (possible) future of the European analytical criteria for residues are described. The elaboration of the revision of Commission Decision 93/256/EC was a long process starting in 1996 and ending with the formation of a European Commission (EC) working group in 1998. This working group took account of developments in scientific and technical knowledge at that time and produced a draft version of the revision within 6 months. The revision, finally published in 2002 (2002/657/EC), includes new ideas on the identification of analytes and the criteria for performance assessment as well as validation procedures. Currently (2009), the evolution in analytical equipment and progress in scientific research, accompanied by recent European regulatory changes, demands an update or revision of the 2002/657/EC. I n the European Union (EU) the inspection of live animals and products of animal origin for the presence of residues of veterinary drugs and specific contaminants is regulated by the European Commission (EC; 1–3). According to Council Directive 96/23/EC (2), two main groups of substances must be monitored to guarantee a high level of protection of human health in relation to its food from animal origin: group A and B substances. Group A comprises the prohibited growth-promoting agents and the prohibited substances for which no maximum residue limits (MRLs) could be established. Group B encompasses all registered veterinary drugs having an MRL and other contaminants, as summarized in Table 1. Since 1987, an extensive network of analytical residue laboratories has gradually been created in the EU for the purpose of veterinary inspections. This network consists of a hierarchical system of so-called Field Laboratories, National Reference Laboratories, and Community Reference Laboratories (CRLs). The quality criteria for the analysis of the above-mentioned residues and contaminants by these laboratories are described in a series of Commission Decisions (4–6). These decisions need to be revised on a regular basis to take into account the current scientific knowledge and the latest technical improvements. In 1996, the Commission initiated a complete legal and technical revision of the two criteria decisions originating from 1993 (4, 5). Due to the complex nature of this revision process, the Commission in May 1998 designated a working group to draft new or revised criteria. This working group was chaired by François André (LABERCA, Nantes, France) and took account of developments in scientific and technical knowledge at that time. This revision was finally published in 2002 (6), and formed a regulatory basis for the performance of analytical methods, including guidelines on the identification of analytes, the interpretation of criteria for performance assessment, and 360 VANHAECKE ET AL.: JOURNAL OF AOAC INTERNATIONAL VOL. 94, NO. 2, 2011 Guest edited as a special report on “Analytical Methods for the Determination of Veterinary Drug Residues in Food Products of Animal Origin” by Badar Shaikh. Corresponding author’s e-mail: Lynn.Vanhaecke@ugent.be Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jaoac/article/94/2/360/5655405 by guest on 17 November 2022