Preservative Analysis in Food — EN 12856 / EN 1988 / (EC) 1333/2008

What Is Preservatives?

Preservative analysis is the determination of the amount of additives used to extend the shelf life of food. Benzoic acid and sorbic acid are measured by HPLC, sulfites by distillation and titration, and nitrite and nitrate by ion chromatography or spectrophotometric methods.

Purpose of Preservatives

The aim is to verify that the preservatives used comply with the substances and maximum levels permitted for that food category in Annex II (EC) 1333/2008. Additionally, the accuracy of the label declaration is checked.

Which Products Is Preservatives Applied To?

Soft drinks and juice
Pickles, tomato paste and sauces
Delicatessen and meat products (nitrite/nitrate)
Dried fruits and wines (sulphites)
Baked goods and jams

In Which Sectors Is Preservatives Used?

FoodAgricultureRetail

Standards Related to Preservatives

TS EN 12856 (food — acesulfame K, aspartame and saccharin; relevant HPLC approach)
TS EN 1988-1/-2 (food — determination of sulphite)
TS EN 12014 series (determination of nitrate and nitrite)
AOAC 983.16 (benzoate and sorbate — HPLC)

Preservatives Conditions

Extraction: Depending on the matrix, aqueous or aqueous-organic; Proteinaceous matrices require precipitation
Measurement: HPLC-DAD, ion chromatography or distillation-titration
Unit: mg/kg veya mg/L

Equipment for Preservatives

HPLC-DAD
Ion chromatography system
Distillation apparatus (for sulfite)
UV/Vis spectrophotometer
Analytical balance

Sample Requirements for Preservatives

Homogenized representative sample
In sulfide analysis, the sample must be delivered quickly; sulfite decreases over time
Product category must be declared — determines the level allowed
Contribution declaration on the label must be submitted

Duration of Preservatives

Extraction and chromatographic measurement together take several working days. The distillation step in sulfite analysis requires separate preparation.

Preservatives Procedure

1The sample is homogenized and weighed.
2Appropriate extraction or distillation is applied to the matrix.
3If necessary, protein and fat removal is performed.
4The extract is filtered.
5Chromatographic or titrimetric measurement is performed.
6The result is calculated as mg/kg or mg/L.

Preservatives Acceptance Criteria

Annex II of (EC) 1333/2008 defines the permitted additives and maximum use levels for each food category. Use in an unauthorized category or exceeding the maximum level is non-conformity. The levels to be applied are confirmed by the current text of the regulation.

Evaluation of Results

The result cannot be interpreted without determining the product category: the same preservative may be permitted in one category and prohibited in another. Some preservatives may also occur naturally in food (such as benzoic acid in some fruits); This situation is taken into account in the evaluation.

Preservatives Report

Sample description and food category
Analiz edilen koruyucu listesi
Method applied
Result and detection limit for each preservative
Compared level of legislation

Accreditation

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Scope and authorisations

Related Regulations

Food Additives Regulation (EC) 1333/2008
Food Information Regulation (EU) 1169/2011

Food Testing — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the Preservatives test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Food testing shows that a product is safe for consumption and contains what its label states. The family works along three axes: microbiological safety, chemical safety and nutritional composition. All three require different laboratory infrastructure, a different body of methods and a different turnaround time.

The most distinctive feature of the field is TIME PRESSURE. A steel specimen can wait on a shelf; a raw milk or fresh meat sample cannot. The time the sample was taken, the transport temperature and how long it takes to reach the laboratory directly determine the validity of the result. In food microbiology the cold chain record is therefore an inseparable part of the test report.

On the microbiological side there are two different questions and they must not be confused. DETECTION of a pathogen is a qualitative question: is Salmonella present in the sample or not? ENUMERATION of indicator organisms is a quantitative question and an indicator of production hygiene. The absence of a pathogen in a product does not show that hygiene is good; if the total mesophilic aerobic count is high, there is a problem in the process.

On the chemical side, pesticide residues, mycotoxins, heavy metals, additives, veterinary drug residues and process contaminants (acrylamide, furan, PAH) are measured. Multi-residue methods in this area (QuEChERS-based LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS) can screen hundreds of active substances in a single analysis; limits are defined separately for each product–substance pair.

On the composition side, protein, fat, moisture, ash, fibre, sugar profile, fatty acid composition, vitamin and mineral content are determined. These values are the basis of the nutrition declaration on the label and the tolerance ranges are defined in legislation — the difference between the declared value and the measured value must stay within that tolerance.

There is NO CE marking on food, and this shapes how the field works. Conformity is demonstrated through operating a HACCP-based food safety system, complying with labelling rules and not exceeding contaminant, residue and microbiological limits. A test result produces evidence not for a certificate but for a functioning system.

Allergen management carries particular weight. The presence of an undeclared allergen in a product is one of the most frequent causes of food recalls. Analysis here runs together with cleaning validation: it is shown that the line has been cleaned adequately after a production run containing an allergen and that the risk of cross-contamination is under control.

Voluntary schemes have become effectively mandatory in this field. Retail chains require their suppliers to hold a certificate under a GFSI-recognised scheme (BRCGS, IFS, FSSC 22000); without it, getting onto the shelf is practically impossible.

Method groups in this field

Pathogen detection
Detection of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, Cronobacter and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli; culture-based and molecular methods.
Indicator counts
Total mesophilic aerobic count, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms and E. coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci, yeasts and moulds, lactic acid bacteria, sulphite-reducing Clostridia.
Pesticide and veterinary residues
Multi-residue screening by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS with QuEChERS extraction.
Mycotoxins and contaminants
Aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol, patulin; heavy metals (ICP-MS), acrylamide and PAH compounds.
Nutritional composition
Kjeldahl protein, fat and fatty acid profile, moisture, ash, dietary fibre, sugar profile, vitamin and mineral analyses.
Allergens and authenticity
Gluten, milk, egg, nut and soy allergen analyses; molecular methods for species identification and adulteration detection.

Commonly confused in this field

Sampling is half the result. A sample transported at the wrong temperature or delayed gives an invalid result even if it is analysed correctly in the laboratory.
The absence of a pathogen does not show that hygiene is good; indicator counts give separate information and the two are read together.
A result from a sample taken from a lot can be generalised to the whole lot only if the sampling plan was set up statistically.
Limits are defined in separate regulations by product group and are updated regularly; a conformity decision based on an outdated limit table may be wrong.
For exports, the limits of the destination country may differ from EU limits; the same product may be compliant in one market and non-compliant in another.

Which decisions these results support

Verification of the HACCP plan and process monitoring
The basis for the nutrition declaration and allergen information on the label
Health certificates before export and compliance with destination market limits
Supplier and lot-based acceptance control
Shelf-life studies and determining storage conditions
Producing evidence for audits under GFSI-recognised schemes

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About Preservatives

We do not use preservatives, but the result was positive, why?

Some preservatives may occur naturally in food; It may also be carried over from raw materials or processing aids. The result is evaluated taking into account natural levels and transport rules.