Assessment of homogeneity and stability of new reference material of passion-flower fruits for proficiency testing: Pesticide residues in purple passion fruit (Passiflora pinnatistipula)

• Published in: Accreditation and quality assurance Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 9 - 17
• Main Authors: Paredes, Maira A., González-Mónico, Sergio A., Guerrero Dallos, Jairo A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-02-2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Biochemistry; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Commercial Law; Developing countries; Ecotoxicology; Food Science; Fruits; General Paper; Global marketing; Homogeneity; Laboratories; LDCs; Marketing; Passion fruit; Pesticides; Quality control; Quality standards; Reference materials; Residues; Software; Stability analysis; St Louis Missouri; United Kingdom > UK; United States > US; Germany; Latin America; Reference material; Homogeneity; Uncertainty; Stability; Purple passion fruit; Pesticides
• ISSN: 0949-1775; 1432-0517
• DOI: 10.1007/s00769-021-01489-1

Passion-flowers are an important sub-group of fruits with beneficial and healthy properties. The incorporation of these fruits in the global market requires meeting safety requirements of pesticide residues in food. Assuring the absence of or low levels of pesticides in passion-flower fruits requires analytical measurements in competent laboratories. One way to demonstrate competence is to participate in proficiency testing using test items closely similar to samples routinely tested by these laboratories, with adequate homogeneity and stability. One feasible proficiency test item might be a reference material. However, currently there are a lack of reference materials of pesticides in Passiflora. This study describes the preparation of a new reference material for eight commonly used pesticides in passion-fruits to concentration levels around the maximum residue limit established by the European Union for this type of commodity. The present study aimed to assess the homogeneity and stability of the material according to ISO Guide 35. The results indicated that the material prepared was sufficiently homogeneous (
u
hom
<
5
%
for the studied pesticides) and stable (for at least 80 days at temperatures
≤
-
20
∘
C
) to be used in a proficiency test of pesticides in passion-flower fruits.